Welcome to Galway Dr. Bob Kennedy Conference ... - Conference.ie

Welcome to GalwayBa mhaith liom céad míle fáilte a chur róimh chuig Cathair na Gaillimhe.Welcome to the 48th European Marine Biology Symposium. It gives me greatpleasure to welcome you to our beautiful city and the National University ofIreland Galway.This conference brings together marine biologists at all stages of their careersto share views, build personal relationships and encourage collaborationthroughout Europe and further afield. It will be a forum for discussion on thecurrent status of the ocean in a changing environment. I am certain that it willbe a stimulating, energetic and memorable meeting.I hope you take the opportunity to explore Galway and the surroundingcountryside, lakes and islands with its many facilities and traditional welcometo our valued guests.I thank our speakers for their contributions, those who have proffered papers/posters and given of their time, as well as all those who have sponsored thesymposium.I hope you benefit from your participation in the symposium and enjoy yourvisit to Galway.Dr. Bob KennedyConference Chair- 1 -

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Invited Speakers Titles and Biographies• Dr Angel Borja, AZTI, Spain. Ecological status and environmental statusof marine waters: easy definitions, complex assessments.• Dr Maria Byrne, University of Sydney, Australia. Responses ofechinoderm larvae to a changing ocean - from the tropics to the polesand an Evo-Devo perspective.• Dr Paul Connolly, President of ICES, Marine Institute, Ireland. ICESwork in relation to sustainable management of our oceans.• Dr David Connor, European Commission, DG Environment, Belgium.Habitat mapping to support environmental status assessment andassociated management issues.• Prof. Mark Costello, University of Auckland, New Zealand. Can wediscover Earth’s species before they go extinct?• Prof. Jason Hall Spencer, University of Plymouth, UK. Oceanacidification and biodiversity.• Dr Cindy Lee van Dover, Duke University, USA. Hydrothermal ventsand mining impacts.• Dr Niall MacDonagh, ESF Marine Board. Future trends in MarineResearch in the EU.• Dr Paul Shin, City University, Hong Kong. Hypoxia and endocrinedisrupting chemicals: A case for MERIT (Centre for Marine EnvironmentalResearch and Innovative Technology)- 9 -

Dr. Angel BorjaAngel Borja has PhD in Marine Biology, from theUniversity of the Basque Country (1984). He worksas Principal Investigator in AZTI-Tecnalia, a privateresearch foundation, since 1985.His main research interests are: marine ecology,effects of human activities on marine ecosystems,monitoring of marine waters and recovery afterimpact, and development of methodologies toassess the status under European marine directives.Now, is member of the Scientific Committee of theEuropean Environment Agency (EEA), in the fieldsof marine spatial planning and marine ecosystems. He is author of more than250 publications, including 130 in international peer-reviewed journals, and,after Science Watch from Thompson Reuters, is one of the most-cited authorsin the field of ecology and environment. Is Editor and member of the EditorialBoard of seven international journals: Journal of Sea Research, MarinePollution Bulletin, Ecological Indicators, Ocean & Coastal Management,Continental Shelf Research, Open Journal of Marine Biology, and Revista deInvestigación Marina. Referee in near 60 international journals and projectevaluation agencies, is member of different scientific associations (ASLO,CERF, ECSA).He has participated in more than 100 national, European and internationalprojects, during past 31 years. Currently, he is the coordinator of theproject DEVOTES (DEVelopment Of innovative Tools for understandingmarine biodiversity and assessing good Environmental Status), funded bythe European Union under the 7th Framework Programme, ‘The Oceanfor Tomorrow’ Theme (Grant agreement no. 308392), http://www.devotesproject.eu.- 10 -

Dr. Maria ByrneDr. Maria Byrne is the Professor of Marine andDevelopmental Biology at the University of Sydney,Australia. Prof. Byrne obtained her bachelors degreefrom the National University of Ireland, Galwayand her doctorate from the University of Victoria,Canada. This was followed by postdoctoral positionsat the Smithsonian Marine Station in Florida andback at NUIG. Prof Byrne is expert in the biologyand ecology of marine invertebrates with a focus onechinoderms and molluscs. In comparative workshe utilises the developmental diversity in closelyrelated species as a model system to document mechanisms underlyingevolution of development and speciation. Her research has involved a broadrange of projects ranging from the Great Barrier Reef to Antarctica. The focusof her current research is the effects of ocean warming, acidification andhypercapnia on marine invertebrate life histories to understand how marinebiota and their progeny will respond to projected change in ocean conditions.She has published over 200 papers and book chapters.- 11 -

Dr. Paul ConnollyDr Paul Connolly is Director of Fisheries EcosystemsAdvisory Services (FEAS) at the Marine Institute inGalway, Ireland. This broad and diverse group dealswith fisheries data collection and management,stock asssessment and advice, management plansunder the Common Fisheries Policy and the Birdsand Habitats Directive, and stakeholder interactions.FEAS has a strong research component thatis focused on the application of the ecosystemapproach with strong links to Irish universities.Working with stakeholders has been a key area forFEAS and Paul chairs regular meetings with both the fishing industry and theenvironmental NGO’s.Paul was elected President of the International Council for the Exploration ofthe Sea (ICES) in October 2012. ICES is an intergovernmental organizationwhose main objective is to increase the scientific knowledge of the marineenvironment and its living resources and to use this knowledge to provideadvice to competent authorities (e.g. the EU Commission). ICES Scienceand Advice considers both how human activities affect marine ecosystemsand how ecosystems affect human activities. In this way, ICES ensures thatbest available science is accessible for decision-makers to make informedchoices on the sustainable use of the marine environment and ecosystems.In 2005, ICES appointed Paul as chair of a committee that conducted aroot and branch reform of ICES and the way it delivers scientific advice onthe oceans. These reforms focussed on making the scientific advice moretransparent to stakeholders, more integrated, and more in tune with the needsof clients. The reforms were adopted by ICES in 2008. During 2011 and2012, Paul worked closely with the Irish Government’s Marine Co-odinationGroup (MCG) that developed an Integrated Marine Plan for Ireland (www.ouroceanwealth.ie - see Harnessing our Ocean Wealth). This was launchedby the Irish prime minister in July 2012. Paul is currently working with theICES community on the renewal of the ICES Strategic Plan (2014 to 2018).- 12 -

Dr. David ConnorDavid Connor is a marine biologist with over thirtyyears’ experience in marine survey, environmentalmanagement and policy implementation. He iscurrently on a 4-year secondment from the UK’sJoint Nature Conservation Committee to theEuropean Commission’s DG Environment, wherehe is supporting implementation of the EU MarineStrategy Framework Directive. He is focusinghere on biodiversity and ecosystem aspects of theDirective and development of European assessment,reporting and data systems, in collaboration with theEuropean Environment Agency, the Joint Research Centre, ICES and theRegional Sea Conventions (particularly OSPAR and HELCOM).Whilst his focus now in on whole ecosystem assessment at regional andEuropean scales, this stems from many years specialising in benthic habitatsaround the coasts of Britain and Ireland, as a diving biologist. David led thedevelopment of the first comprehensive classification of marine habitats forBritain and Ireland through the BioMar project (1992-1996), later expandedthe classification to cover the North East Atlantic and eventually all Europeanwaters via the EEA’s EUNIS classification system, with the last majorupdate in 2004. David progressed into application of the classification formanagement purposes through develop of broad-scale habitat maps of UKwaters (UKSeaMap, 2007), north-west Europe (MESH, 2004-2008) and theBaltic, North Sea, Celtic Seas and Western Mediterranean Sea (EUSeaMap,2009-2010). The classification and mapping now provide essential tools formanagement and conservation for the MSFD and associated policies.David was Chair of the ICES Working Group on Marine Habitat Mappingfrom 2003-08 and Chair of OSPAR’s Intersessional Correspondence Groupon Biodiversity Assessment and Monitoring from 2008-2011. He was bornin Dublin and has enjoyed many collaborations with Irish scientists andinstitutes during his career- 13 -

Professor Mark J. CostelloMark J. Costello, Associate Professor, Leigh MarineLaboratory, University of Auckland, New Zealand.Previously: Executive Director of the HuntsmanMarine Science Centre, St Andrews, NB Canada;Founding Managing Director of EcologicalConsultancy Services Ltd (EcoServe), Dublin;lecturer in Environmental Sciences, Trinity College,Dublin; Research Fellow in Ecotoxicology of NapierUniversity (Edinburgh) based at the Scottish OfficeMarine Laboratory Aberdeen; and Royal IrishAcademy and Royal Society postdoctoral fellowshipat the Marine Biological Association, Plymouth.B.Sc. 1982, National University of Ireland Galway; Ph.D. 1987, NUI Cork.• Founded the Environmental Sciences Association of Ireland in 1994.• Founding Chair of the World Register of Marine Species.• Treasurer and Founder of the Society for management of electronicbiodiversity data• President of the International Association for Biological Oceanography• Vice-Chair Global Biodiversity Information Facility Science Committee• First Chairman of the International Committee of the Ocean BiogeographicInformation System, the data system of the Census of Marine Life until2008• Member Executive Committee of the Scientific Committee on OceanResearch• Marine and Freshwater Editor of journal Biological Conservation• Member committees of DIVERSITAS, Group on Earth ObservationsBiodiversity Observation Network, and Species 2000.Supervised 40 graduate students.Over 100 peer-reviewed publications.From Naas, Co. Kildare, Ireland.- 14 -

Professor Jason Hall SpencerJason is a Professor in Marine Biology at PlymouthUniversity, UK and received his PhD in marineecology at Millport Marine Station (Scotland) in 1994.He conducts applied research to provide policymakers with the scientific information needed tobest manage the marine environment, ranging fromdeep-sea benthos, fisheries, aquaculture, marineprotected areas, biogenic reefs and seamounts. Thisyear his group is working on i) coral reefs deep inthe Arctic Ocean, ii) using satellite tracking of fishingvessels to design effective conservation areas andiii) studying underwater volcanoes in temperate andtropical seas to help predict the effects of ocean acidification due to risingatmospheric carbon dioxide levels.- 15 -

Dr. Cindy Lee Van DoverDr. Cindy Lee Van Dover is a deep-sea biologistwith an interest in the ecology of chemosyntheticecosystems.She began her work in this field in 1982, joiningthe first biological expedition to hydrothermalvents on the East Pacific Rise. After earning aMaster’s degree in ecology from UCLA in 1985, shecontinued her graduate education in the MIT/WoodsHole Oceanographic Institution Joint Programin Biological Oceanography. There she joinednumerous expeditions and published on diverse topics such as reproductivestrategies and recruitment of vent invertebrates, vent food webs, andtaxonomic descriptions of new species.In 1989, she described a novel photoreceptor in a vent invertebrate, which inturn led to discovery and characterization of a geothermal source of light atvents and investigations of its biological significance.On receiving her Ph.D. in 1989, Van Dover joined the group that operatesthe deep-diving submersible ALVIN. She qualified as pilot in 1990 and waspilot-in-command of 48 dives.Her current research focuses primarily on deep-ocean exploration, the studyof biodiversity and biogeography of invertebrates from chemosyntheticecosystems, and emerging issues in environmental management of thedeep sea. In addition to research, Van Dover has authored a popular bookfor the lay audience about the deep sea and her experiences as an ALVINpilot (Deep-Ocean Journeys; Addison-Wesley, 1997, a.k.a. The Octopus’sGarden).She is the author of the first textbook on hydrothermal vents (The Ecologyof Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents; Princeton University Press, 2000), andis curator of ‘Beyond the Edge of the Sea’, a traveling exhibition of originaldeep-sea art by watercolor artist Karen Jacobsen- 16 -

Dr. Niall McDonoughNiall McDonough is Executive Scientific Secretaryof the European Marine Board and Head of MarineSciences at the European Science Foundation.The Marine Board is Europe’s foremost marinescience policy think-tank, delivering strategy andforesight to advance European research focused onseas and oceans.Niall originally trained as a marine biologist, withresearch interests in aquaculture, fisheries andmarine resource management.He has held scientific and management roles with the National Universityof Ireland, Galway, Queens University Belfast, and with the Irish MarineInstitute.- 17 -

Professor Paul ShinDr. Paul Shin is Associate Professor at theDepartment of Biology and Chemistry, City Universityof Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.Dr. Shin received his B.Sc. (Hons) and M.Phil.from the University of Hong Kong and PhD fromthe National University of Ireland, Galway. He isFellow of the Chartered Institution of Water andEnvironmental Management, U.K. and Co-Chair ofthe IUCN Horseshoe Crab Specialist Group. Dr.Shin is expert in marine benthic ecology.His current research focuses on the response of marine benthic communitiesto environmental perturbations, effects of hypoxia on marine invertebrates,study of soft-shore biodiversity, ecology and biology of amphioxus andartificial breeding of horseshoe crabs, and investigations on ecologicalfunctions of artificial reefs in subtropical waters.Dr. Shin also has extensive experience in consulting and has been involvedin many environmental studies for various government departments,international funding agencies and the private sector. He has published over150 papers and book chapters.- 18 -

European Marine Biology SymposiumProgrammeAugust 19-23, 2013NUI Galway, Galway, IrelandMonday, August 19 th , 201310:00 – 13.00 Registration – Bailey Allen Hall, Áras na MacLéinn Building, NUI Galway13:00 – 14.00 Lunch14:00-14:15 Opening and Welcome14:15 – 15.30 Climate Change14:15 – 14.45 Prof. Jason Hall Spencer Ocean acidification and biodiversity.14:45 Dr. Andrea Gori15:00 Ms. Tiina SaloEcophysiology of the cold-water coral Dendrophyllia cornigera:a key to understanding its distribution and potential resilience toclimate change.Synergistic effects of altered salinity and temperature on eelgrass(Zostera marina) seedlings and adult plants.15:15 Dr. Dan Smale Extreme Climatic Events in Marine Ecosystems.15:30 – 16.00 Coffee- 19 -

16.00 – 17.45 Biodiversity and ecosystem function16:00 – 16.30 Prof. Mark Costello ‘Can we discover Earth’s species before they go extinct?’16:30 Prof. Peter Croot16:45 Dr. Katherine Dafforn17:00 Ms. Vera de Schryver17:15 Ms. Flora Kent17:30 Mr. Paul Kotterba17:45 Dr. Alexey Maximov18.00 Welcome Reception, BBQ in College BarControls on the distribution of Prochlorococcus and Synechococcusin the Eastern Tropical South Pacific.Untangling the effects of multiple anthropogenic stressors oncommunity structure and function.Influence of dissolved organic carbon on growth and communitycomposition of phytoplankton associated with bacteria.Deposition on a biogenic reef and the impact of increased seawatertemperature.A wolf in sheep’s clothing – Western Baltic herring as an intensepredator of estuarine demersal fish.Relationships between native and introduced species diversity inbottom communities of the brackish eastern Gulf of Finland.Tuesday August 20, 201309.00 – 10.30 Mapping Habitats and determining ecological status09:00 – 09.30 Dr. David Connor09:30 Dr. Matt FrostHabitat mapping to support environmental status assessmentand associated management issues.Benthic habitat targets for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive:is there such thing as sustainable loss and can it be measured.- 20 -

09:45 Dr. Xabier Guinda10:00 Mr. Artem Isachenko10:15 Ms. Henna Rinne10:30 – 11.00 CoffeeThe CFR index for the assessment of macroalgae according tothe European Water Framework Directive.High-resolution habitat mapping on mud fields: new approach toquantitative mapping of Ocean quahog.Predicting the occurrence of Natura 2000 habitats in the Finnishmarine area, Northern Baltic Sea.11.00 – 12:4511:00 – 11.30 Prof. Maria Byrne11:30 Ms. Alice Burridge11:45 Ms. Anna Stepien12:00Combined session: Ocean acidification and Evolution, systematics and developmentalbiologyMs. Lauren Sumner-Rooney12:15 Mr. Nicholas Carey12:30 Ms. Haoyu ZhangResponses of echinoderm larvae to a changing ocean - from thetropics to the poles and an Evo-Devo perspective.‘An integrated morphological, molecular and biogeographic studyof Cuvierina pteropods’?Phylogeny of the Tanaidacea of the suborder Apseudomorpha(Crustacea: Malacostraca).Seeing the world through new eyes: a novel sensory organ inbasal chitons.Changes to metabolism and metabolic scaling relationships ingrazing molluscs under conditions of warming and ocean acidification.Physiological responses and scope for growth of a marinegastropod, nassarius conoidalis, to combined effects of oceanacidification and temperature.- 21 -

12:45 – 14.00 Lunch14.00 – 15.30 General Marine Biology14:00 – 14.30 Dr. Paul Shin Hypoxia and endocrine disrupting chemicals: A case for MERIT.14:30 Dr. Michelle Giltrap14:45 Ms. Anaid Gouveneaux15:00 Mr. Julien Laurent15:15 Ms. Stella Marmin15:30 – 16.00 CoffeeMussel histology facilitates accurate interpretation of biomarkerdata.Characterization of photogenic sites in deep-sea planktonicworms: a comparative approach within Tomopteridae.The influence of environmental parameters on intracellular pHregulation in symbiotic cnidarians.Impacts of the short-term dredged material disposal experimentson benthic habitats of the Seine Bay (Eastern English Channel).16.00 – 18.00 Sustainable management of the ocean16:00 – 16.30 Dr. Paul Connolly ICES work in relation to sustainable management of our oceans.16:30 Dr. Fiona Culhane16:45Dr. Leanne Cullen-Unsworth17:00 Dr. Chris McOwenImproving the seafloor integrity of the North Sea requires crosssectoralmanagement.Biodiversity and Food Security: Developing Collaborative Policyfor Seagrass Conservation.Variability in fisheries yield; what’s the cause and how should itbe managed?- 22 -

17:15 Dr. Samuel Shephard17:30Mr. Wouter vanBroekhoven17:45 Ms. Mareike Volkenandt18.00 – 19.30 Poster SessionThe spatial footprint of fishing leaves de facto refugia for CelticSea elasmobranchs.Nutrient regeneration by mussel Mytilus edulis spat collectors ina productive macrotidal system.Irish Celtic Sea Herring fishery – a story of a successful stockrecovery and its characteristics.Wednesday August 21, 201309.00 – 10.30 Biodiversity and ecosystem function09:00 Dr. Clifton Nunnally09:15 Ms. Nolwenn Quillien09:30 Dr. Karin Troost09:45 Prof. Sarah Ann Woodin10:00 Prof. Andrey Azovsky10:15 Ms. Bryony PearceDual environmental stressors and the associated recovery ofbenthic macrofauna on a river dominated continental shelf:hypoxia and hurricanes in the Mississippi “Dead Zone”.Influence of green macroalgal blooms (Ulva sp. L. 1753) on thefunctioning of macrotidal sandy beaches of Brittany.Expansion of non-native Pacific oysters in the Wadden Sea:threats and opportunities for native blue mussels.Range Extensions by Larval Transport versus HumanAssistance: Diopatra biscayensis in Northern France.Taxononic Diversity of Marine Benthic Harpacticoid Copepods:Comparison Between Low and High Latitudes.Macrofaunal Diversity Supported by Sabellaria spinulosa Reefs:Implications for Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD)Monitoring.- 23 -

14:30 Dr. Niall McGinty14:45 Mr. Sergey Aleksandrov15:00 Dr Jonne Kotta15:15 Ms. Nelly Tremblay15:30 – 16.00 CoffeeThe scales of association between zooplankton communities ofthe North Atlantic.The different effect of climate change on the eutrophication in thelagoon ecosystems (e.g. Curonian and Vistula Lagoons).Realized niche width of a brackish water submerged aquaticvegetation under current environmental conditions and projectedinfluences of climate change.Response of krill species to hypoxia and warming: a biogeographiccomparison.16.00 – 18.00 Combined session: Hydro thermal vents and mining and Biodiversity and Bioresources16:00 – 16.30 Dr. Cindy Lee Van Dover Hydrothermal vents and mining impacts16:30 Ms Rachel BoschenThe distribution and connectivity of macrobenthos in areas ofpotential seafloor massive sulphide mining in the New ZealandExclusive Economic Zone.16:45 Dr. Patrick Collins Rapid assessment of set-aside suitability17:00 Dr. Hege Vestheim17:15 Dr Jens Carlsson17:30 Ms. Rozenn TreposFaunal diversity above and along deep sea brines in the RedSeaConnectivity, colonisation ecology and population resilience atMid-Atlantic hydrothermal vent communitiesGreen Intelligent Materials: Developing New Surfaces with Anti-Biofilms Properties- 25 -

17:45 Dr. Martina Milanese18.00 – 19.30 Poster SessionMariculture of Chondrilla nucula and Chondrosia reniformis,methods and applicationsThursday August 22, 201309.00 – 10.30 Sustainable management of the ocean09:00 – 09.30 Dr. Niall McDonagh Future trends in Marine Research in the EU09:30 Ms. Brenda Walles Reef length dependent impact of the ecosystem engineerCrassostrea gigas on sedimentary intertidal flats09:45 Dr. Katrin Bohn Assessing the contribution of urban biodiversity to ecosystemservices in disused docks following restoration10:00 Ms. Sarah Cosgrove The quantitative analysis of Alexandrium catenella in MontereyBay, California using imaging flow cytometry10:15 Dr. Caroline Cusack Red Alert – ASIMUTH Records, Detects and Forecasts HarmfulAlgal Blooms in NE Atlantic waters10:30 – 11.00 Coffee11.00 – 13.00The Professor Carlo Heip Memorial Session on Marine Research Stations andInfrastructure11:00 Prof Herman Hummel11:15 Dr. Rina KlaisThe role of European marine stations during the last two decadesand in the future.Multidecadal abundance and phenology dynamics of zooplanktonand fish larvae in a shallow temparate bay.- 26 -

11:30 Prof. Herman Hummel11:45 Dr. Lena KautskyResearch at European marine field stations unraveling patternsof biodiversity in benthic key species.Swedish marine stations within the MARS network and their rolefor marine research.12:00 Mr. John Breslin SmartBay – Ireland’s test, demonstration and validation facility.12:15 Mr. John Boyd12:30 Ms Rachel Boschen12:45 Prof. Mike Thorndyke13:00 – 14.30 LunchResearch Vessel Training, Access and Sampling Opportunitiesfor Marine Biologists.INDEEP: International network for scientific investigations ofdeep-sea ecosystemsWAMS: The World Association of Marine Stations. A GlobalNetwork of Marine Stations and Institutes for the 21st Century.14:30 – 17.00Yellow submarine – Venue: College Park, between the Martin Ryan Building and theQuadrangle19.30 – Late Conference Dinner – Radisson Hotel- 27 -

Friday, August 23, 201309.00 – 13.15 General Marine Biology09:00 Ms. Katarina Oganjan09:15 Mr. Yuan Wang09:30 Dr. Gerardo Zardi09:45 Ms. Mailie Gall10:00 Dr. Susie Brown10:15 Dr. Tsuyuko Yamanaka10:30 – 11.00 Coffee11:15 Prof. Jaques Grall11:30Dr. Laure Carassou-BouilleretGrazing impact of zebra mussel in a shallow eutrophicated bay ofthe Baltic Sea.Epigenetic changes in response to hypoxia - marine medaka asa model.Simple behaviour can have critical consequences: interactionsbetween invasive and indigenous mussels.A tale of two urchins: the population genetics of twocloselyrelated species, Heliocidaris erythrogramma and H.tuberculata, with contrasting PLD’s.Expert knowledge informs and refines Ecological RiskAssessment for the Effects of Fishing for cetacean species.Towards a better understanding of factors determining body sizespectra in marine ecosystems.A regional and European scale evaluation of the biodiversity ofmaerl beds in Europe.Contribution of the Cape stumpnose (Rhabdosargus holubi) totrophic connectivity between adjacent aquatic habitats in SouthAfrica.- 28 -

11:45 Dr. James Forde12:00 Dr. Alexander KudryavtsevComparison of sediment grain size techniques to explainvariation in macrobenthic coastal communities: A short timeseries example.Diversity of protozoa (with emphasis on Amoebozoa) from deepseasediment samples collected by two expeditions to AtlanticOcean and the Sea of Japan.12:15 – 15:45 Dr. Paul Somerfield Putting the species back into community analysis.12:45 Dr. Nadezhda Berezina Details of EMBS 49, St Petersburg, Russian Federation.13.00 -13:15 Conference Close including the awarding of prizes for best student talk and poster.13:15Lunch, provided to all as a packed lunch for those who need to leave early. Coffee etc.provided for those staying.- 29 -

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Oral Abstracts- 31 -

Theme: Climate ChangeOcean acidification and biodiversity.Prof. Jason Hall SpencerUniversity of Plymouth, UK.Volcanic carbon dioxide vents are being used as natural laboratories tostudy the effects of ocean acidification on a variety of coastal ecosystemsas well as individual organisms. At volcanic sites in Mexico, Greece, Italyand Papua New Guinea vents enrich seawater carbon dioxide levels andalter calcification, recruitment, growth, survival and species interactions inthe acidified waters. Many species of macroalgae, seagrass, foraminiferans,corals, polychaetes, crustaceans, molluscs and bryozoans are remarkablytolerant of long-term exposures to high and variable carbon dioxide levelsat the Ischia vents (e.g. min 309, mean 854, max 1908 µ atm pCO2).However, a fall in mean pH 8.1 to mean pH 7.7 has detrimental effects on therecruitment of benthic organisms from the plankton with 30% fewer speciesin adult populations at mean pH 7.7 than in adjacent areas at mean pH 8.1.Important groups, such as coralline algae, calcified foraminiferans and seaurchins are common outside the vents but absent from areas with mean pH

Theme: Climate ChangeEcophysiology of the cold-water coral Dendrophyllia cornigera: a key tounderstanding its distribution and potential resilience to climate changeAndrea Gori, Stephanie Reynaud, Covadonga Orejas, Josep-Maria Gili,Christine Ferrier-PagèsCentre Scientifique de Monaco, MonacoEmail: agori@centrescientifique.mcIn this study, we investigated the physiological changes of the cold-watercoral (CWC) Dendrophyllia cornigera, within the range of naturally occurringseawater temperatures (8°C, 12°C, 16°C). The aim was to explore if itsphysiology could explain its past and current distribution, and to assess howthis CWC species may be influenced by potential temperature increase asa consequence of climate change. For this purpose, growth, respiration,calcification, organic matter fluxes and food uptake were assessed oncorals maintained for 5 months at the three temperatures. Coral growth,respiration and calcification increased with temperature. Uptake of totalorganic carbon (TOC) by corals occurred at 8ºC, whereas TOC wasreleased at higher temperatures. The ability of Dendrophyllia cornigera tocapture mesozooplankton increased with flow speed (from 2 to 10 cm s-1),without a clear effect of changes in seawater temperature. In contrast, theability to capture microzooplankton decreases significantly at 8°C. Overall,Dendrophyllia cornigera is more efficient in the food uptake and growsfaster at the highest temperatures investigated, which can explain its currentdistribution. Indeed, this species is currently absent from the CWC reef ofthe North Atlantic, while it is a dominant CWC species at lower latitudes(e.g. Canarias Islands). Similarly, these findings may explain the greaterabundance of this species during past warmer periods (e.g. MediterraneanSea). Finally, these results demonstrate that Dendrophyllia cornigera canpotentially withstand an increase in seawater temperature as a consequenceof climate change, at least in a wide range of its current area of distribution(e.g. Gulf of Biscay and Mediterranean Sea).- 33 -

Theme: Climate ChangeSynergistic effects of altered salinity and temperature on eelgrass (Zosteramarina) seedlings and adult plantsTiina Salo 1,2 & Morten Foldager Pedersen 11ENSPAC, Roskilde University, Universitetsvej 1, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark2Dept. of Biosciences, Åbo Akademi University, Artillerigatan 6, 20520 Åbo,FinlandEmail: tsalo@ruc.dkSalinity and temperature are some of the most important factors determiningeelgrass distribution and performance. Predicted climate changes areexpected to alter both salinity and water temperature in estuarine and coastalwaters. We investigated experimentally how the performance of seedlingsand adult plants was affected by the combined effect of altered salinity andtemperature. We conducted a 5-week experiment exposing eelgrass todifferent combinations of salinity (5, 12.5 and 20‰) and temperature (15,20 and 25°C). Both life stages responded negatively to lowered salinityand elevated temperature with seedlings being more sensitive than theadults. Altered salinity and temperature had synergistic effects on eelgrasssurvival and performance; high temperature in combination with low salinityresulted in higher mortality and lower number of leaves per shoot ascompared to situations where the salinity and temperature were closer toambient conditions. Sucrose concentrations in the leaves of both life stagesdecreased with decreasing salinity. Salinity and temperature affected theconcentrations of starch differently in seedlings and adult plants. Our resultsshow that altered salinity and temperature can have serious effects oneelgrass performance, especially when considering future climate scenarios.As seedlings appear to be more sensitive to stressors than adult plants,the future climate changes are likely to alter meadow population dynamicsemphasizing the higher importance of vegetative reproduction.- 34 -

Theme: Climate ChangeExtreme Climatic Events in Marine EcosystemsDr Dan SmaleMarine Biological Association, United KingdomEmail: dansma@mba.ac.ukOBJECTIVES: Extreme climatic events are increasing in frequency andmagnitude, most likely as a direct consequence of anthropogenic climatechange. Here, I present recent research on (i) the return times and severitiesof warming events in coastal systems, (ii) community and ecosystem-levelresponses to an extreme warming event off Western Australia in 2011; and(iii) the influence of short term warming events on species interactions andcommunity structure.METHODS: Long-term ‘hand-collected’ sea temperatures were collatedfrom various regions to examine the frequency and magnitude of shorttermanomalous events over the past >80 years. A range of benthic surveyswere conducted along a latitudinal gradient in Western Australia to examinetemporal variability in seaweed, invertebrate and fish assemblages. Novelexperiments using ‘hot plate’ technology and mesocosms have yieldedinsights into ecological processes during warming events.RESULTS: Long-term records suggest that the frequency of anomalouswarming events has increased in recent decades in some regions. The2011 warming event off Western Australia was the most-extreme on recordand resulted in widespread mortality and consequent range contractionsof several cool-water foundation species. In the intermediate term at least,benthic biodiversity and ecosystem services have been degraded by themarine heat wave. Recent manipulative work suggests that the profile ofwarming events influences the outcomes of species interactions and theecological performance of key taxa.CONCLUSIONS: Extreme warming events in shallow seas are increasingin severity. Such events can cause step-wise changes in the structure andfunctioning of benthic ecosystems at large spatial scales, by influencingspecies interactions, driving range shifts of habitat-forming species andaltering the relative abundances of warm and cool water consumers.Ecological responses to extreme climatic events may provide novel insightsinto likely responses to long-term gradual warming.- 35 -

Theme: Biodiversity and ecosystem functionCan we discover Earth’s species before they go extinct?Mark J. CostelloInstitute of Marine Science, Leigh Marine Laboratory, University of Auckland,New Zealand.m.costello@auckland.ac.nzThe creation of global species inventories, such as the World Register ofMarine Species, provides a documented measure of how many speciesare known, who has named them, and their rate of description. Contraryto widespread belief the number of people involved in naming species hasbeen increasing and has never been higher. The last decade saw a recordnumber of marine (but not non-marine) species named. The rate of discoveryof marine species has increased in recent decades, but not of terrestrialspecies (which account for about 75% of all named species). This knowledgehas enabled better estimates of how many marine species exist. We appearto be in a golden age of marine taxonomy, with about 2/3 of all species nowdiscovered.The evidence shows that there has been increased effort in discoveringspecies; e.g. that the greater number of authors per species named isnot due to proportionally more part-time taxonomists nor less specialists.Discoveries of microbial diversity will not significantly alter the overall pattern.Microscopic species may have high local species richness and high geneticdiversity, but appear to have low global species richness. This reflects theirease of dispersal and high abundance, in contrast to the biogeographies oflarger species. Thus most species have already been discovered. Tens ofthousands have been collected and await description.Estimates of species extinction rates are now more variable than estimates ofglobal species richness. Until recently, neither had accounted for the presenthigh taxonomic effort. Taken together, it is probable that most species willbe named this century and before they go extinct. This process of discoveryprovides a first step in documenting and understanding biodiversity, and thusaids conservation efforts.- 36 -

Theme: Biodiversity and ecosystem functionControls on the distribution of Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus in theEastern Tropical South PacificPeter Croot 1 , Tina Baustian, Justyna Jonca, Martina Lohmann, AlbertoLorenzo, Lothar Stramma and Kathrin Wutti1NUI Galway, IrelandEmail: peter.croot@nuigalway.ieThe distribution of picoplankton (Prochlorococcus, Synechococcus andbacteria) was assessed by shipboard flow cytometry (BD Accuri C6)during the recent M90 research expedition (Nov 2012: Colon, Panama toCallao, Peru) on the RV Meteor. This presentation will examine the linksbetween picoplankton distribution and relevant physical and biogeochemicalparameters (e.g. nutrients, O2 and H2O2) in an effort to improve ourunderstanding of the key processes involved in controlling their distributionin this region. In particular emphasis will be placed on establishing thetemporal evolution of picoplankton concentrations in westward propagatingmesoscale eddies generated in the Peruvian shelf oxygen minimum zone.- 37 -

Theme: Biodiversity and ecosystem functionUntangling the effects of multiple anthropogenic stressors on communitystructure and functionKatherine A. Dafforn, Brendan P. Kelaher, Stuart L. Simpson, Jaimie Potts,Peter Scanes, Melanie Sun and Emma L. JohnstonUniversity of New South Wales, AustraliaEmail: k.dafforn@unsw.edu.auEstuaries are diverse and productive ecosystems that are subject to highlevels of disturbance from multiple human stressors. Chemical contaminantsand nutrients from urban and industrial activities are released into estuariesand accumulate in benthic sediments where they may impact biota. Toassess the ecological health of benthic communities, the common chemicalcontaminant stressors are usually targeted (e.g. the metals, PAHs andpesticides with guideline values), but fewer studies consider the influence oforganic enrichment in the presence of toxic levels of metal contaminants. Todevelop targeted sampling programs, it is important to compare the ecologicalrelevance of different stressors to distinguish meaningful anthropogenicimpacts. We deployed sediment subtidally in benthic recruitment containers(BRCs) for 3 months. Concentrations of metals and organic fertilizer in BRCsediments were manipulated in an orthogonal design. Replicate BRCs weredestructively sampled at 4 times (1w, 2w, 6w and 3 mo) for infauna and arange of sediment characteristics measured including metals, TOC, TN, TPand sediment chlorophyll. BRCs were also sub-cored to measure communityrespiration and primary productivity. Rarely have manipulative experimentsbeen used to examine multiple stressors under field conditions and this isone of the first to examine the effects of metals and nutrients on communitydevelopment, structure and function. The results have implications for futuremanagement practices in estuaries and increase our understanding of therelative impacts on benthic estuarine communities of nutrients from terrestrialrun-off and contamination from industrial practices.- 38 -

Theme: Biodiversity and ecosystem functionInfluence of dissolved organic carbon on growth and community compositionof phytoplankton associated with bacteriaVera de Schryver, Kristina Röben, Jennifer Schoenn, Herwig Stibor, UlrichSommerGEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, GermanyEmail: vschryver@geomar.dePhytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria are major competitors fordissolved inorganic nutrients in aquatic habitats. Increasing concentrationsof degradable dissolved organic carbon (DOC) often provoke higherheterotrophic bacterial growth, thereby affecting the competition betweenphytoplankton and bacteria. As a consequence, autotrophic phytoplanktonabundance can decline, but the widespread functional group of mixotrophic,bacteria consuming, phytoflagellates can reasonably be supposed to behavedifferently and to gain in importance. The objective of our study was to testwhether degradable DOC has potential to shift phytoplankton communitycomposition by supporting growth of mixotrophic species. We conductedlaboratory experiments in which we used the mixotrophic phytoflagellateOchromonas minima as a model species and investigated its growthalong gradients of dissolved organic carbon. The mixotroph was grownin monocultures and as part of an artificial laboratory community whichconsisted of 6 different phytoplankton species. While overall chlorophyll aconcentrations of the phytoplankton communities declined with increasingDOC, we found species-specific responses, which led to drastically changedcommunity composition along the DOC gradient. We conclude, thatmixotrophic Ochromonas minima benefited from increased abundance ofbacterial prey, accelerated growth and became the dominant species withinthe phytoplankton community when DOC concentrations were high.- 39 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionDeposition on a biogenic reef and the impact of increased seawatertemperatureFlora E. A. Kent 1 , William G. Sanderson 1 , Kim Last 21School of Life Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK2Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, Argyll, UKEmail: fk76@hw.ac.ukBiogenic reefs, such as those formed by horse mussels (Modiolus modiolus)are biodiversity hotspots, and therefore recognized for their conservationimportance. M. modiolus habitats are defined as “reefs” in Marine ProtectedAreas under the EU Habitats Directive, and are a Priority Marine Feature forconservation in Scotland. Highlighting and quantifying the services providedby different marine ecosystems shows the value of different habitats andspecies to society, which can support decision making and marine spatialplanning. The objectives of this study were to measure sedimentationin situ and then to test if M. modiolus biodeposition rates (faeces andpseudofaeces) were modified by an increase in temperature. A method wasdeveloped to collect sediment and biodeposits on a M. modiolus reef usingportable experimental units that were deployed by SCUBA divers. Controlsunits accounted for background sediment deposition using dead musselsshells held together as proxy for living reef matrix. In the laboratory, VortexResuspension Tanks (VoRTs) were used to maintain M. modiolus undercontrolled conditions where the seawater temperature could be adjusted andwhere the natural feeding environment was otherwise simulated. Five VoRTswere maintained at 13°C and five at 15°C. Measurements of biodepositionin the field show that live M. modiolus produce 41.2 ± 12.2 mg mussel-1day-1. However, when exposed to a 2°C increase in temperature, depositionfell significantly. The results provide the first evidence of the scale at whichM. modiolus are able to provide ecosystem services, such as water filtrationand sediment sequestration in the North East Atlantic. Increased seawatertemperature can modify the function of M. modiolus, the effects of which maybe increased as a consequence of future seawater warming.- 40 -

Theme: Mapping Habitats and determining ecological statusHabitat mapping to support environmental status assessment and associatedmanagement issuesDavid ConnorEuropean Commission DG EnvironmentFollowing decades of remaining a topic of scientific interest and curiosity,recent environmental policy developments bring a renewed interest in seabedhabitats, with an urgent need for new knowledge on the character, distributionand quality of our seabed environment. The presentation will provide anoverview of European policy requirements for seabed habitat information,initiatives to improve the classification and mapping of habitats, and reflectupon our current abilities to assess habitat status across European waters.- 43 -

Theme: Mapping Habitats and determining ecological statusBenthic habitat targets for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive: is theresuch thing as sustainable loss and can it be measured?Frost, M. 1 , Sanderson, W. 2 and Herbon, C. 31Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL12PB, UK.2Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh Campus, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH14 4AS3Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Monkstone House, Peterborough, PE11JY, UK.Email: matfr@mba.ac.ukThe central concept of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) isthat of achieving ‘Good Environmental Status (GES)’, with a core part of theGES definition being the ‘use of the marine environment is at a level that issustainable, thus safeguarding the potential for uses and activities by currentand future generations’1. The sustainable use of benthic habitats for the UKwill be determined by the targets set for habitat extent and condition. A keyelement for target setting will be identifying how much of a habitat can belost or damaged before GES is compromised. There are already indicationsthat certain habitats are being lost at a rate which may be unsustainable.However, there is currently little scientific evidence underpinning quantitativethresholds for loss or damage and some reviews have suggested thatquantitative thresholds cannot be supported at all. The current scientificrationale for quantitative thresholds in the marine environment is discussed;the underlying challenges (e.g. mapping at appropriate resolution to identifyanthropogenically driven change against a background of natural variationsand changes due to improved modelling and data) are addressed andrecommendations are made for marine benthic habitats in relation to GESand current scientific knowledge.- 44 -

Theme: Mapping Habitats and determining ecological statusThe CFR index for the assessment of macroalgae according to the EuropeanWater Framework Directive.Xabier Guinda, José Antonio Juanes and Araceli PuenteEnvironmental Hydraulics Institute “IH Cantabria”, Universidad de Cantabria.PCTCAN, C/ Isabel Torres 15, 39011, Santander, Spain.Email: guindax@unican.esThe CFR index is a multimetric method used for the assessment ofmacroalgae communities at intertidal and subtidal areas. It was developedaccording to the requirements of the European Water Framework Directive(WFD;2000/60/EC) in order to carry out general management and monitoringworks. The aim of this work is to present the index as it has been validatedin the second European Intercalibration Process, to show its applicability,both at intertidal and subtidal areas, and its sensitivity to anthropogenicpressures. The CFR index was applied at 184 intertidal and 57 subtidalstations located in the Atlantic coasts of Spain, Portugal and France,covering the whole biogeographical gradient of the southern NEA region.45 of the subtidal stations were assessed using an ROV. The stations wereexposed to urban, industrial and diffuse anthropogenic pressures, whichwere classified into 5 quality levels. The CFR index responded adequatelyto the pressure level of the stations (R2=0.73;p

Theme: Mapping Habitats and determining ecological statusHigh-resolution habitat mapping on mud fields: new approach to quantitativemapping of Ocean quahogArtem Isachenko 1 , Yana Gubanova 2 , Alexander Tzetlin 1 , Vadim Mokievsky 31MSU, White Sea Biological Station, Russian Federation2MSU, Faculty of Geology, Russian Federation3Shirshov Institute of Oceanology Russian Academy of Sciences, RussianFederationEmail: isachenko@wsbs-msu.ruGeophysical data has been successfully used to evaluate contrast biologicalobjects on the sea bottom, such as communities associated with seamounts,pock-marks, oyster or mussels banks. The challenge is to create habitatmap using remote geophysical methods in conditions of more homogenoussubstrate (mud fields) by developing new methods of data analysis.The main objectives of study were to develop and apply effective methodologybased on new approach to data interpretation for quantitative high-resolutionmapping of Arctica islandica (Bivalvia) dense settlement and associatedcommunity.Spatial structure of benthic communities and dominant specimen distributionshow high heterogenity in the area of survey. Thus, samples can’t be validlyinterpolated to the area of more than 20 m in radius.During 2010–2012 side-scan sonar surveys, qualitative sediment sampling,underwater photo- and videoimaging were carried out at the polygon inKandalaksha bay, the White Sea (Russian Arctic).Structurally uniform localities were highlighted during interpretation ofside-scan signal. Each type of signal reflects combination of bottom type,microtopography and structural characteristics of benthic community.Main effect on the latter is produced by distribution of A. islandica. Seabedattributes considered most significant were defined for each type of localities.These relations were used for landscape mapping based on sonar data.Pointed biological data were reliably interpolated to the area of survey usingstatistical processing of geophysical data.Developed method of integrated data interpretation allows to create highresolutionmap of A. islandica by biomass groups, benthic faunal groups andassociated habitats.- 46 -

Theme: Mapping Habitats and determining ecological statusPredicting the occurrence of Natura 2000 habitats in the Finnish marine area,Northern Baltic SeaRinne, Henna 1 , Kaskela, Anu 21Åbo Akademi University, Artillerig. 6, 20520 Åbo, Finland2Geological Survey of Finland, P.O. Box 96, 02151 Espoo, FinlandEmail: henna.rinne@abo.fiIn the EU, The Annex I of the Habitats Directive lists habitats that areimportant in biodiversity protection and should be maintained (or restored)at a favourable conservation status. The habitats listed should be protectedwithin the Natura 2000 network. However, the lack of spatial distribution dataon marine habitats often presents an obstacle to their efficient protection.Marine habitats in Annex I are large physical habitats, primarily defined bytopographical and geomorphological attributes, but also typical speciesand communities associated with the habitats have been identified. Theprimarily physical nature of the habitats enables the use of topographical andgeological attributes to map potential habitats, but a challenge is met whenbiological attributes need to be incorporated. We present a methodologywhere the best data available are used to create distribution maps of marineAnnex I habitats, Reefs and Sandbanks, using GIS methodology and speciesdistribution modelling.The work was carried out as a part of the EU Life+ funded project FINMARINET.Biological data and some of the geological data were gathered during theproject, but already existing data were used to produce the backgroundinformation needed for the study (e.g. models on depth, exposure, salinity,Secchi depth). In order to identify elevations at seafloor, a topographic modeland Benthic Terrain Modeler (BTM) were used. A comparison between theidentified structures and seafloor substrate was carried out where geologicaldata was available. The information on species associated with the habitatswas incorporated using species distribution modelling (Maxent software).The maps produced provide valuable background information for moredetailed mapping of the habitats, as well as for management and monitoringof these important habitats.- 47 -

Theme: Combined session: Ocean acidification andEvolution, systematics and developmental biologyResponses of echinoderm larvae to a changing ocean - from the tropics to thepoles and an Evo-Devo perspective.Maria ByrneUniversity of Sydneymbyrne@anatomy.usyd.edu.auBenthic marine invertebrates live in a multistressor world where stressor levelsare, and will continue to be, exacerbated by global warming and increasedatmospheric carbon dioxide. These changes are causing the oceans towarm, decrease in pH, become hypercapnic, and to become less saturatedin carbonate minerals. These stressors have strong impacts on biologicalprocesses, but little is known about their combined effects on the developmentof marine invertebrates. A synthesis of recent studies of the effects of oceanacidification on growth of sea urchin larvae including species from thetropics to the poles indicate a similar response irrespective of phylogenyand to some extent ecology. Model test analyses of the collinear factors;pH, pCO2, and CaCO3, indicates that organism hypercapnia is the moresignificant stressor. The impacts of acidification on growth of echinopluteiare reduced by warming at near-future levels. Different sensitivities of lifehistorystages and mode of development (feeding –vs- non feeding larvae)have implications for persistence and community function in a changingocean. Some species are more resilient than others and may be potential‘‘winners’’ in the climate-change stakes.- 48 -

Theme: Combined session: Ocean acidification andEvolution, systematics and developmental biologyAn integrated morphological, molecular and biogeographic study of CuvierinapteropodsAlice K. Burridge 1,2 , Erica Goetze 3 , Katja T.C.A. Peijnenburg 1,21Naturalis Biodiversity Center, P.O. Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, TheNetherlands2Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics IBED, UniversityofAmsterdam, P.O. Box 94248, 1090 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands3Department of Oceanography, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, 1000PopeRoad, Honolulu, HI 96822, USAEmail: akburridge@yahoo.co.ukBecause of their highly soluble aragonitic shells thecosomatous pteropodsare a key group in determining the effects of ocean acidification. However,for pteropods to be considered as an indicator of ocean changes, weneed to know more about their taxonomy, evolution and biogeography.In our multidisciplinary study we have examined species boundaries inthe Cuvierina genus by linking phenotypic, genetic, and biogeographicinformation. This approach proved to be highly effective in the discriminationof taxa. All taxa described within the group could be distinguished based ongeometric morphometric analyses of shell outlines applied to a total of morethan a thousand reference museum specimens and unidentified specimensfrom the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. We also found an undescribedmorphotype from the North Pacific. Importantly, we found highly congruentpatterns between morphotypes, geographic ranges, and genetic data. Weconclude that our total evidence approach proved to be highly successful inthe discrimination between Cuvierina taxa and could serve as a model studyfor revealing biogeographic patterns in the open ocean.- 49 -

Theme: Combined session: Ocean acidification andEvolution, systematics and developmental biologyPhylogeny of the Tanaidacea of the suborder Apseudomorpha (Crustacea:Malacostraca)Anna Stępień, Piotr Jóźwiak, Magdalena Błażewicz-PaszkowyczUniversity of Lodz, PolandEmail: stepie.anna@gmail.comTanaidacea are small marine crustaceans present in various marine habitats.Currently they are represented by almost 1200 nominal species, but it is assumedthat the total number of tanaidaceans might be a order of magnitude higher. In modernsystematics tanaidaceans are divided into three extant suborders: Apseudomorpha,Neotanaidomopha and Tanaidomorpha; the fourth suborder, Anthracocaridomorpharepresents exclusively extinct taxa.This study presents the first analysis of the phylogenetic relationships of theApseudomorpha, which is presumed to be the most plesiomorphic suborder of currentTanaidacea. The data matrix prepared with MESQUITE ver. 2.74 included 90 generaand 94 (72 binary and 22 multistate) unordered characters. Opsipedon, an extinctand apparently phylogenetically primitive genus been chosen as a representative ofan outside group.Phylogenetic analysis was conducted with T.N.T. (ver. 1.1). Bremer support wascalculated to assess branch support. A consensus tree was calculated from the tenmost parsimonious trees of the length of 744 steps; consistency index and retentionindex were 0.17 and 0.58 respectively.The cladogram derived resulted in only two clades which were consistent with thecurrent taxonomy; in consequence the status of eleven currently defined familiesis questioned. It can be concluded that the Kalliapseudidae and Sphyrapodidaewere the only monophyletic families, with Bremer support = 2 and 3 respectively.The Parapseudidae and Apseudidae are apparently polyphyletic although somemembers of the Leviapseudinae (fam. Apseudidae) form a separate clade (Br =2).The Chondropodinae, currently a subfamily of the Metapseudidae, together with thegenera as Francapseudes and Ascumnella (members of the Sphyrapodidae andParapseudidae, respectively) may represent a new higher taxon. The remainingMetapseudidae were grouped into a large and well-supported clade (Br =2 ) togetherwith members of the Pagurapseudidae, Whiteleggiidae, Sphaeromapseudidae,Tanzanapseudidae and Pagurapseudopsididae. This last result confirms a commonconcept (Sieg 1980, 1983; Gutu (1996) that these families constitute a group ofclosely-related taxa which could be defined as a superfamily.- 50 -

Theme: Combined session: Ocean acidification andEvolution, systematics and developmental biologySeeing the world through new eyes: a novel sensory organ in basal chitonsSumner-Rooney, L. H. 1 , Sigwart, J. D. 1 , Schwabe, E. 2 , Schrȍdl, M. 2 , Hess, M. 3 ,Brennan, G.P. 41Queen’s University Marine Laboratory, Portaferry, Co. Down, Northern Ireland2Zoologische Staatssammlung München, Germany3Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, Germany4Medical Biology Centre, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern IrelandEmail: lsumnerrooney01@qub.ac.ukChitons (Mollusca, Polyplacophora) are basal molluscs which possess asimple nervous system without, it was previously believed, true cephalisationor exclusively anterior sensory organs. However, here, the existence of justsuch a structure is reported throughout the Lepidopleurida, the more basal ofthe two major clades of chiton, and examined in detail in Leptochiton asellus.The “Schwabe organs” are clearly visible to the naked eye as streaks ofpigment either side of the mouth lappets in the pallial cavity. However, despitethis they have never been described in 150 years of anatomical literature.Detailed anatomical study of this organ in L. asellus has now been conducted,including semi-thin sectioning, digital reconstruction, SEM imaging of thesurface epithelium, and TEM imaging of the ultrastructure. As a result, wecan now confirm the presence of increased neural connectivity between themajor longitudinal nerve cords and the epithelium in the pigmented region,as well as ciliary structures at the surface of the same region which may beindicative of its function. Sensory systems represent the interface betweenan organism and its environment, and as such, understanding them hasprofound implications for research in many other areas of the biology ofthese animals, such as evolution, behaviour and ecology. For example, theSchwabe organ may represent a novel synapomorphy of the Lepidopleurida.Further study of these sensory organs to elucidate their role will undoubtedlyhelp to shed light on the early evolution and radiation of this basal clade ofchitons.- 51 -

Theme: Combined session: Ocean acidification andEvolution, systematics and developmental biologyChanges to metabolism and metabolic scaling relationships in grazingmolluscs under conditions of warming and ocean acidificationNicholas Carey 1,2 , and Julia D. Sigwart 1,21Queen’s University Belfast, School of Biological Sciences, Lisburn Road,Belfast2Queen’s University Belfast Marine Laboratory, Portaferry, Co. DownEmail: ncarey02@qub.ac.ukScaling of metabolic rate with body mass has long been considered afundamental relationship in organisms, the value of this allometric relationshipbeing either the ⅔ or ¾ power of body mass. However, there is ample evidencethat scaling relationships show significant natural variation within certainboundaries, associated with ecology andactivity patterns, and recent modelssuch as the Metabolic-Level Boundaries (MLB) hypothesis have proposedtheoretical frameworks explaining this apparent variation. The magnitudeof the scaling exponent describes the relationship in a community betweenorganisms of different size, and influences everything from the partitioningof natural resources to population dynamics. Potential variability in scalingrelationships has broad scale implications for the dynamics and compositionof natural communities: if metabolicscaling exponents are plastic to extrinsicfactors, they may be altered under conditions of environmental change, such aswarming and ocean acidification. Chitons (polyplacophoran molluscs) exhibitnatural variation in both basal metabolic rates andscaling relationships, withdifferences linked to lifestyle and natural history. We acclimatedthree speciesof chiton from the north-eastern Pacific (Katharina tunicata, Tonicella lineata,Mopalia muscosa) to conditions from future climate change scenarios. Threetemperatures and two pH conditions were examined in a factorial design, todetermine the synergistic and antagonistic effects of these factors on bothbasal metabolic rates and the scaling of metabolism. Higher temperature,as expected, caused metabolic rate to increase and the metabolic scalingexponent to decrease, a key prediction of the MLB hypothesis. However, theeffect of decreased pH was unpredictable, depressing metabolism in somespecies but increasing it in others, and having different effects at differenttemperatures. These data suggest species’ physiology will show complex,unpredictable reactions to multiple stressors under future climate changescenarios, and this may have similarly unpredictable and complex effects oncommunity composition.- 52 -

Physiological Responses And Scope For Growth Of AMarine Gastropod, Nassarius Conoidalis, To CombinedEffects Of Ocean Acidification And TemperatureHaoyu ZHANG 1 ; Paul K. S. SHIN 1,2 ; Siu Gin CHEUNG 1,21Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, HongKong2State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, HongKonghyzhang5@student.cityu.edu.hkThere is a dramatic increase in the number of studies of ocean acidificationon marine organisms including corals, echinoderms and fish in the pastfew years. However, as a major cleaner in the marine benthic communityin removing carrion, scavenging gastropods have received little attention.The present study investigated the physiological responses (ingestion,assimilation rate and efficiency, respiration, excretion) and scope for growthof a subtidal scavenging gastropod Nassarius conoidalis to the combinedeffects of ocean acidification (pCO2 levels: 380, 950, 1250 ppm) andtemperature (15, 30°C) for 28 days. Low temperature (15°C) reduced allphysiological responses and scope for growth of N. conoidalis throughout theexposure period. Elevated levels of pCO2 reduced significantly the ingestionrate, assimilation rate and scope for growth after 1-day exposure but notthe other physiological responses. The interaction between temperature andpCO2 was significant in affecting ingestion rate after 1-day exposure withthe effect of pCO2 enhanced at high temperature. After 7 days of exposure,N. conoidalis almost fully acclimated to acidified conditions with assimilationrate and efficiency, respiration, excretion being unaffected by pCO2 althoughingestion rate at 1250 ppm was still lower than that at normal pCO2. Completeacclimation of all physiological responses and scope for growth to elevatedpCO2, however, was observed on Day 28. Therefore our data suggestedthat there is no long-term effect of ocean acidification on the energetics ofN. conoidali- 53 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyHypoxia and endocrine disrupting chemicals: A case for MERIT (Centre forMarine Environmental Research and Innovative Technology)Shin, P.K.S. 1 and Wu, R.S.S. 21Department of Biology and Chemistry and State Key Laboratory in MarinePollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China2School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong,ChinaMarine pollution problems are likely to be exacerbated on a global scaleand to pose significant threats to our ecological systems, public health,socioeconomic growth and sustainability. These problems are particularlyimminent in China, where coastal developments have been occurring on anenormous scale. At present, one third of China’s GDP relies on the utilizationof coastal and marine resources. For example, the Yangtze River Delta onlyoccupies 1% of China’s land area, but accounts for over 20% of the nationalGDP. Clearly, the sustainable utilization of these valuable marine resourcesis pivotal to China’s future economic growth. Rapid population growth andurbanization in coastal cities of China, including Hong Kong, will continue toexert unprecedented pressure on local marine environments in the next fewdecades. Serious damage to our marine environment is clearly manifestedby many examples including the threat to human health through consumptionof contaminants in seafood and aquaculture products, occurrence of hypoxicor dead zones due to eutrophication, and the potential effects of endocrinedisrupting chemicals (EDCs) or emerging chemicals of concern on the marineecosystems. This presentation highlights the work of the Centre for MarineEnvironmental Research and Innovative Technology (MERIT) in Hong Kong,with the objectives to: (a) develop technology to detect impending damage atan early stage, (b) predict changes of marine ecosystems resulting from thesepressing problems, (c) assess the ecological and public risk resulting fromhypoxia and these important class of chemicals, (d) develop cost-effectivemitigatory, control and remediation measures suitable for practical use, and(e) provide relevant scientific information to enable the formulation of soundenvironmental management strategies and policies for the protection of ourmarine resources. Selected research findings on hypoxia and EDCs aredescribed.- 54 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyMussel histology facilitates accurate interpretation of biomarker dataMichelle Giltrap, John Bignell, Colby Tanner, Jenny Ronan, Brendan McHugh,Ronan Magaoidh, James WilsonTrinity College Dublin, IrelandEmail: giltrapm@tcd.ieThe accurate interpretation of biomarker data can be a complicatedprocess particularly when considering the potential confounding effectsof environmental, temporal, spatial and physiological factors. Usinghistopathology, this study investigated the effects of multiple physiologicaland disease factors of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) on the response of awell described stress biomarker; lysosomal membrane stability (LMS) inhaemocytes.Mussels were sampled monthly from a pristine location and analysed overduration of one year revealing a high degree of temporal variability in theLMS response. LMS response was compared to the influence of severalbiological measurements include length, weight, condition factor, sex,reproductive status, energy storage (adipogranular tissue), kidney lipofuscin,inflammatory response, digestive epithelial cell height and prevalence ofparasites.A generalised linear mixed model (GLMM) was used to detect significanteffects on the LMS response. Results indicated that spawning (P=0.0073)and gonad stage (Pr=0.0097) had the most significant effects on thebiomarker response. The biomarker response was also correlated withdegree of kidney lipofuscin.This data supports the application of mussel histopathology as acomplementary tool (phenotypic anchor) for the accurate interpretation ofdata gathered during programmes designed to investigate the biologicaleffects of contaminants.- 55 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyCharacterization of photogenic sites in deep-sea planktonic worms: acomparative approach within TomopteridaeGouveneaux Anaïd*, Mallefet JérômeMarine Biology Laboratory, Earth and Life Institute, Catholic University ofLouvain, Place Croix du Sud 3, Louvain-la-Neuve 1348, BelgiumEmail: anaid.gouveneaux@uclouvain.beIt is currently estimated that bioluminescence has evolved independentlybetween 40 and 50 times among known organisms. Mostly distributed inmarine species, this remarkable ability to emit visible light is the source ofa wide diversity of structures, emission patterns and associated functions.Except for sophisticated photophores, the characterization and discriminationof photogenic units, including cells and intracellular sources, remain generallyhypothetic for lack of specific marker. Thus, because they must be conductedon a case-by-case basis, morphological studies are rarely detailed.The yellow-light emission known in the planktonic Tomopterid worms is a veryatypical characteristic since most of the pelagic marine organisms emits ablue-green light. Although the spectral distribution has been measured in onlytwo species (λmax = 565 nm Tomopteris nisseni Rosa, 1908, λmax = 570 nmT. septentrionalis Quatrefages, 1865) among 11 described as bioluminescent,these observations are often generalized to the family. However, the recentadvances in the study of these deep-sea planktonic annelids’ bioluminescencehave revealed an unexpected diversity of light emission patterns. Here wecompare photogenic structures from T. helgolandica Greeff, 1879 and T.nisseni Rosa, 1908 which are East Atlantic and Pacific species respectively.Through combined optic, fluorescent, electronic and confocal microscopytechniques, we provide the first experimental data for the clarification of theambiguous status of the parapodial rosette glands suspected as specificsites of light production in Tomopteridae.- 56 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyThe influence of environmental parameters on intracellular pH regulation insymbiotic cnidarians.Julien Laurent, Alexander Venn, Éric Tambutté, Philippe Ganot, DenisAllemand, Sylvie TambuttéCentre Scientifique de Monaco, FranceEmail: jlaurent@centrescientifique.mcSymbiotic cnidarians associate with photosynthetic dinoflagellate algaewhich they harbour intracellularly. This endosymbiosis is responsiblefor the success of scleractinian corals, which form the basis of coral reefecosystems in tropical marine environments. Research on symbioticcnidarians biology is currently impeded by a limited knowledge of the basicsof cell physiology underpinning the endosymbiosis. Among the numerousphysiological parameters which need investigation, intracellular cytosolic pH(pHi) is of fundamental importance since it is linked to many aspects of cellmetabolism. The aim of the present work was to understand how changesin environmental parameters, such as light or external pH, can affect pHiin anthozoan cells and how pHi is regulated. Working with two models, thescleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata and the anemone Anemonia viridis,we used a physiological approach with pH sensitive dyes and confocal livecell imaging. We show the dynamics of pHi during light exposure in cellscontaining photosynthetic symbionts or in symbiont-free cells. Minimumsteady-state pHi values of 7.05 ± 0.05 were obtained under darknesswhereas photosynthesis at saturating irradiance caused an increase to 7.46± 0.07 in cells containing symbionts. We also characterize pHi recoveryafter intracellular acidosis induced by NH4Cl, HCl or CO2. Moreover, weinvestigated the role of Na+/H+ plasma membrane exchangers (NHE)necessary for recovery after this intracellular acidosis. Our findings on pHiregulation constitute an important step toward a better comprehension ofacid-base regulatory abilities of anthozoans which is imperative for a bettergrasp of cnidarian physiological behaviour, especially in the context of oceanacidification.- 57 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyImpacts of the short-term dredged material disposal experiments on benthichabitats of the Seine Bay (Eastern English Channel)Stella Marmin, Jean-Claude Dauvin, Patrick LesueurUniversité de Caen Basse Normandie, CNRS, UMR CNRS 6143 M2C, FranceEmail: stella.marmin@unicaen.frTwo experiments consisting to a series of sediment deposits from maintenancedredging for the access channel to Rouen Harbour on two adjacent sites,were conducted in 2012-2013 to monitor the environmental impacts and totest several deposit procedures (i.e. different amounts of sediment, deposittime…). Based on a Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) approach, spatiotemporalchanges on communities parameters were analyzed to assess theshort term consequences of sediment on benthic habitats. Various parameterswere measured (particle size analysis, organic matter content, biologicaldescriptors, biotic indices) during 6 surveys from May 2012 to January 2013.The results showed that the impact of the 2 experiments remain very local andlimited to the stations directly affected by the deposits. The effects were rapidon deposits stations: disappearance of the macrofauna just after the deposit,but rapid colonisation of the macrofauna occurring during a favourablespring-summer period corresponding to a concentration of reproductiveactivity of main benthic fauna within the elevation of sea water temperature.Abundance peaks are observed on some stations caused by the presenceof pioneer species exhibiting variations in very high densities resulting highcapacity of dispersal and colonization. Such species sustain high amountsof fine particles (

Theme: Sustainable management of the oceanICES work in relation to sustainable management of our oceans.Paul ConnollyPresident, International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, Copenhagen,Denmark.paul.connolly@marine.ieThe International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) is anintergovernmental organization established in 1902, and comprises 20member countries that border the north Atlantic and its adjacent seas. Themain objective of ICES is to increase the scientific knowledge of marineecosystems and to use this knowledge to provide scientific advice to decisionmakers. ICES is a network of more than 4000 scientists, from almost 300institutes, with 1600 scientists participating in ICES activities annually. Thethree pillars of ICES (science, data and advice) considers both how humanactivities affect marine ecosystems and how ecosystems affect humanactivities and this knowledge is accessible for decision-makers to makeinformed choices on the sustainable management of marine ecosystems.Importantly, these ICES products are unbiased, non-political, based on thebest available science and are requested by member countries and variousinternational organizations and Commissions. In recent years ICES hasdeveloped a very successful training programme covering a diverse rangeof topics that has served over 600 participants from 24 countries. ICES role,capabilities and work in relation to the ten proposals outlined in the UN interagency report Blueprint for ocean and coastal sustainability will be outlined.The MSY basis for ICES advice and the recent trends in sustainably exploitedNorth east Atlantic fish stocks will be examined. The future direction of ICESwill be captured in the new Strategic Plan (2014 to 2018) that is currentlybeing developed against the background of a rapidly changing marine policylandscape. This strategy will guide the ICES science, data and advicerequired by decision makers for the sustainable management of our oceans.- 59 -

Theme: Sustainable management of the oceanImproving the seafloor integrity of the North Sea requires cross-sectoralmanagementH.J. Bloomfield, F. Goodsir, F.E. Culhane, K.N. Papadopoulou, B.S. Galil, M.Goren, C.J. Smith, P. Breen, L.A. Robinson, R.S. Koss and A.M. KnightsUniversity of Liverpool, United KingdomEmail: culhane@liv.ac.ukHuman activities are adversely affecting the integrity of the seafloor resultingin biodiversity loss, habitat degradation and changes in the functioning ofthe benthic ecosystem. Spatial management has the potential to alleviatehuman impacts and improve ecosystem state.We identified a suite of sectors impacting the seafloor of the North Seaand described their spatial footprint/extent in GIS. To test the potential forspatial management to improve seafloor integrity and the impact this mayhave on sector activities, we assessed the current footprints of the sectorsand applied different levels of ambition of spatial management in the form ofMarine Protected Areas.From the sectors considered, over 80% of the North Sea sublittoral seafloorarea was found to be impacted. However, there are differences in thespatial extent of the sectors and thus their contribution to the pressures onsublittoral sediments. Individually, fishing impacts the greatest area and ourapproach demonstrates that implementation of higher levels of managementambition will impact on some fishing sectors even if the intention is to avoideconomic activities while for other sectors, activities could be avoidedwhile still protecting large areas of seafloor. Consideration of managementimplementation at the country level demonstrates different effects on sectorsamong countries, in terms of which sectors are affected, what the change inspatial extent will be, and what the proportional change in sector extent willbe. This has important implications for the total area of sublittoral sediment- 60 -

Theme: Sustainable management of the oceanBiodiversity and Food Security: Developing Collaborative Policy for SeagrassConservationLeanne Cullen-Unsworth, Susan Baker, Jessica Paddock and RichardUnsworthCardiff University, United KingdomEmail: cullen-unsworthlc@cardiff.ac.ukThe aim of this work is to understand the interface between marinebiodiversity conservation and socio-economic activities, with a view toenhancing conservation efforts for seagrass meadows. Seagrasses arecritical components of marine systems supporting a diversity of taxa.Important fishing grounds in their own right; they also play a significant rolein supporting other fisheries productivity. At different stages of their lifecycle,many economically important fish and invertebrates utilise seagrass forshelter and food. Protecting seagrasses as foundation species will thereforeprotect species richness, biodiversity, ecosystem structure, fisheriessupport, climate regulation through carbon sequestration and other essentialecosystem services. However, seagrass meadows are declining globallyat an unprecedented rate and marine conservation priorities often do notrecognise the value of the goods and services provided.The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) contain some of the highest qualitymarine habitats in the Caribbean. However, knowledge of seagrassmeadows, recognition of their social and ecological importance and effectiveconservation strategies are lacking. With rapid coastal development in TCI,marine ecosystems are subject to the anthropogenic stressors that havedecimated other areas of the Caribbean. Using a case study from the TCI, thisresearch has engaged local scientists, stakeholders, community groups andpublic administrators to provide evidence of the value of seagrass meadows,highlight conservation priorities for marine biodiversity protection and foodsecurity, and develop cross-sectoral, collaborative governance strategies.This work takes an interdisciplinary approach integrating three researchstreams: fisheries exploitation data (Ecology); understanding of the socioeconomicprofile of the islands and in the context of social practices(Sociology); analysis of the capacity of public authorities (Political Science)so to inform governance strategies for more effective seagrass conservation.We suggest how different stakeholder interests can be brought together withpublic authorities for more effective collaborative management of seagrassmeadows in TCI.- 61 -

Theme: Sustainable management of the oceanVariability in fisheries yield: How should it be managed, and what are thecauses?Chris McOwenUniversity of Cambridge, United KingdomEmail: Chris.McOwen@unep-wcmc.orgFluctuations in fisheries yield is frequently attributed to changes inenvironmental conditions (e.g. temperature or productivity) and fishingpressure. The purpose of this study was to quantify the relative influence ofeach and determine the contributing factors to the results; this was achievedusing ten years of catch data from 47 global, large marine ecoregions,together with three potential correlates – estimates of productivity, seasurface temperature and fishing effort. For each region the optimal modelexplaining variance in yield was obtained and the relative influence of eachcorrelate determined. Additionally, regions were clustered according to theimportance of each variable and the properties (i.e. latitude, average bodylength of the catch, exploitation and the probability of the fishery being stable)of each cluster analysed.Over the ten year time period of this study (1997-2006) it was found changingfishing effort was the largest contributing factor to global changes infisheries yield, followed by productivity and finally sea surface temperature.However, regions were correlated with different factors; for instance,change in productivity had the largest impact in mid latitude ecosystems;regions characterised by small pelagic species. In contrast the magnitudeof productivity had no significant impact on yield variability within southernlatitude regions, e.g. New Zealand, where management imposed controlsof fishing effort through schemes such as total allowable commercial catch,proved the dominant factor.As demand increases from an already heavily exploited ocean, the effectivemanagement of fisheries is essential. Determining the principal forces drivingchanges in yield with a region highlights those areas requiring a significantfocus on the improvement of climate forecasting, compared to those requiringa focus on catch-control, in order to recover depleted fish stocks.- 62 -

Theme: Sustainable management of the oceanThe spatial footprint of fishing leaves de facto refugia for Celtic SeaelasmobranchsSamuel Shephard 1 , Hans Gerritsen 2 , Michel J. Kaiser 3 , Eibhlín O’Sullivan 4 andDavid G. Reid 21School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road,Belfast BT9 7BL, UK2Marine Institute, Rinville, Oranmore, Co. Galway, Ireland3School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, Anglesey LL595AB, UK4IS&WFPO Ltd, The Pier, Castletownbere, Co. CorkEmail: samuel.shephard@qub.ac.ukOBJECTIVES. To determine if elasmobranch abundance and diversity hotspots exist in areas of low fishing effort.METHODS. We modelled elasmobranch biomass (catch rate, kg h-1) infisheries-independent survey hauls as a function of environmental variablesand ‘local’ (within 20km radius) fishing effort (h y-1) recorded from VesselMonitoring Systems data.RESULTS. Model selection using AIC suggested strongest support for linearmixed effects models in which the variables (i) fishing effort, (ii) geographiclocation and (iii) demersal fish assemblage had approximately equalimportance in explaining elasmobranch biomass. In the eastern Celtic Sea,sampling sites that occurred in the lowest 10% of the observed fishing effortrange recorded 10 species of elasmobranch. The most intensely fished 10%of sites had only three elasmobranch species, with two IUCN listed as LeastConcern. A relatively unfished area in the central Celtic Sea recorded mostindividuals of the critically endangered Dipturus spp.CONCLUSIONS. Our results suggest that stable spatial heterogeneity infishing effort creates de facto refugia for elasmobranchs in the Celtic Sea.However, changes in the present fisheries management regime could impairthe refuge effect by changing fisher’s behaviour and displacing effort intothese areas.- 63 -

Theme: Sustainable management of the oceanNutrient regeneration by mussel Mytilus edulis spat collectors in a productivemacrotidal systemWouter van Broekhoven, Karin Troost, Henrice Jansen, Aad SmaalIMARES Wageningen UR, NetherlandsEmail: wouter2.vanbroekhoven@wur.nlOBJECTIVES The few previous studies of nutrient fluxes from intact musselculture rope communities showed potential of suspended cultures to affectambient nutrient ratios. We analyse stoichiometric effects of suspendedSeed Mussel Collector (SMC) systems in the Netherlands by quantifyingnutrient uptake and release rates, to enable prediction of impacts on carryingcapacity.METHODS SMCs are a newly developed method of mussel (Mytilus edulis)spat collection in the Netherlands aiming to fully replace the 40m kg yr¬1 wildseed fishery by 2020. SMCs provide substrate during spring and summer,facilitating a novel stock of exclusively juvenile mussels and associated flora,fauna and organic matter. Nutrient uptake and inorganic nutrient excretionrates were measured in situ in floating incubation chambers, using smallintact rope sections from commercial SMCs.RESULTS Compared to Redfield ratios, phosphorus release was proportionallyhigh (N:P between 4 – 12), and silicon release was proportionally low (N:Sibetween 2 – 31). High nutrient release rates per unit mussel weight werefound in comparison with other studies, which we explain using allometricscaling relations. Nutrient release rates strongly correlated with averagemussel weight despite considerable associated organic matter on ropes. Wefurther observed high retention of very small particles, at least down to the 1µm detection limit of the particle counter, implying effective particle filtrationby mussel spat below the size range commonly showing efficient retentionby adults (> 4 µm).CONCLUSIONS Rapidly increasing grazing pressure over summer wasaccompanied by increasing nutrient feedback rates, so that grazing controlover phytoplankton may be mitigated by stimulation of primary production.Deviations from Redfield ratios, however, imply that phytoplanktoncomposition – and thus bivalve food – may be affected.- 64 -

Theme: Sustainable management of the oceanIrish Celtic Sea Herring fishery – a story of a successful stock recovery andits characteristicsMareike Volkenandt¹, Ian O’Connor¹, Simon Berrow¹, Ciaran O’Donnell²¹Marine & Freshwater Research Centre, Galway - Mayo Institute ofTechnology, Galway, Ireland²Marine Institute, Oranmore, IrelandEmail: MVolkenandt@gmail.comThe Celtic Sea (CS) Herring (Clupea harengus) fishery is one of the mostimportant in Ireland but landings declined considerable since the 1970s to alow of 8000t in the early 1980’s. Since 2004 a new management plan includingstakeholder involvement is in place, leading to a qualified successful herringfishery with continuously increasing spawning stock biomass (SBB).The fishery management is explained, followed by a presentation of theinter-annual distribution and biological characteristics of the Irish autumnspawningherring population in the CS for the years 2005 – 2012. We usedCenter of Gravity and Inertia (CGI) models, together with the SSB, year classstrength and length/weight ratios to describe stock characteristics. Ambientenvironmental conditions were described by surface and bottom temperatureand salinity.The precautionary management approach, has led to the doubling of theherring SSB with an estimated 226,505t in 2012. Strong year classes,contributing to the increasing SSB, were followed over the years (e.g. thestrong recruitment year in 2009). The CGI showed latitudinal variation, whilethe ambient conditions remained constant over the study period and did notexplain stock distribution. Ambient salinity of the water column (surface 34.9±0.1 PSU and bottom 35.1 ±0.1 PSU) showed less variability compared totemperature (surface 14.1 ±0.5°C and bottom 12.8 ±1.1°C).The Irish CS Herring fishery is an example of successfully integratingstakeholders, including fishermens co-operatives and fish producersorganisations into fishery management. A recovering stock provides anopportunity to monitor changes in the ecosystem including the response byseabirds and marine mammals and how the fishing community receive theincreasing fishing potential.- 65 -

Theme: Biodiversity and ecosystem functionDual environmental stressors and the associated recovery of benthicmacrofauna on a river dominated continental shelf: hypoxia and hurricanesin the Mississippi “Dead Zone”Clifton C. Nunnally, Chi-Lin Wei, Fangyuan Qu, Yousria Soliman and Gilbert T.RoweUniversity of Hawaii at Manoa, United States of AmericaEmail: cnunn@hawaii.eduDrivers of ecological community composition vary in their impact, scale andefficacy. Well-adapted species thrive under harsh hypoxic conditions whileothers die. The dual impacts of strong environmental drivers on continentalshelf macrobenthic communities reorganize present communities thatnegatively impact survival success of future communities. In the Gulf ofMexico hypoxic area robust, hypoxia-adapted communities are reorganizedby intense physical habitat scouring that accompany hurricanes, removingkey progenitors that negatively impact future survival of low oxygen events.A multi-year study assessed macrobenthic abundance and diversity withinthe seasonally hypoxic area associated with the Mississippi River in thenorthern Gulf of Mexico. Hypoxia adapted communities dominated bythe polychaete, Paraprionospio pinnata, were drastically changed by thepassage of the Hurricanes Katrina and Rita at the end of summer 2005. Theresulting communities lacked essential adaptations to long-term seasonalhypoxia that resulted in declines of the abundance (1886 ± 432 ind. m-2compared to 5228 ± 372 ind. m-2 prior to hurricanes) and diversity ofmacrobenthic communities. Increased global thermohaline stratification andsevere weather events due to climate change threaten coastal ecosystemsalready under anthropogenic stresses making interactions of this kind morelikely. The potential for regime changes during an uncertain future increasesand the likelihood of severe faunal reorganization is likely, along with theimplicit impacts to human coexistence with our natural resources.- 66 -

Theme: Biodiversity and ecosystem functionInfluence of green macroalgal blooms (Ulva sp. L. 1753) on the functioning ofmacrotidal sandy beaches of BrittanyQuillien N 1 , Schaal G 1 , Zeppilli D 2 , Laurand S 3 ,Carlier A 4 , Bonsdorff E 5 , Le BrisH 6 , Grall J 31LEMAR, UMR CNRS/UBO/IRD 6539, Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer,Place Nicolas Copernic, 29280 Plouzané, France2IFREMER, EEP - Ressources physiques et Ecosystèmes de fond de mer,Technopôle Brest-Iroise, 29280 Plouzané, France3Observatoire des Sciences de l’Univers, UMS 3113, Institut Universitaire Européende la Mer, Place Nicolas Copernic, 29280 Plouzané, France4IFREMER, DYNECO - Ecologie Benthique, Technopole Brest-Iroise, BP70, 29280Plouzané, France5Environmental and Marine Biology, Department of Biosciences,ÅboAkademiUniversity, Tykistökatu 6, FI-20520 Turku, Finland6Université Européenne de Bretagne, UMR 985 Agrocampus Ouest, Inra «Ecologie& Santé des Ecosystèmes», Ecologie halieutique, Agrocampus Rennes, 65 rue deSt Brieuc, CS 84215, 35042 Rennes, FranceEmail: jgrall@univ-brest.frIn Brittany (Western France), numerous coastal bays are periodically affectedby accumulations of the green algae Ulva spp. (green tides), which is a directconsequence of the eutrophication of coastal waters.In order to evaluate the effects of such proliferations on the functioning of the coastalecosystem, the food web structure of two sandy beaches showing contrastedeutrophication levels (impacted by green tides vs. un-impacted) was examined usingstable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analysis, together with a largequantitative benthic community and juvenile flatfish community sampling.Consistent 13C enrichment was found in sources of the impacted beach, suggestingthat photosynthetic activity of green algae could not only affect the associatedconsumers, but also the availability of nutrients for co-occuring primary producers.The isotopic lag observed between primary producers of the two beaches was alsofound in the associated food web (from the meio- to the ichtyofauna), indicating thatgreen algae alter isotopic ratios of the entire community. Community analysis showsa clear separation between impacted and un-impacted beaches and fish growthmeasurements revealed a shift in apparition time of age-0 flatfish. This suggestslarge ecological impacts of green tides on the structure and the functionning of thesandy beach system, especially at the level of their fish nursery function.Further studies aiming at disentangling the different effects of green algae (i.e. trophicsubsidies, vs. physico-chemical modification of the environment) are being currentlylead and provide a deeper understanding on the interaction between eutrophicationand the role of the benthic compartment, and at larger scale, the functioning of thewhole coastal ecosystems.- 67 -

Theme: Biodiversity and ecosystem functionExpansion of non-native Pacific oysters in the Wadden Sea: threats andopportunities for native blue musselsKarin Troost, Carola van Zweeden, Margriet van Asch, Douwe van den Ende,Emiel Brummelhuis, Marnix van StralenIMARES, part of Wageningen-UR, NetherlandsEmail: karin.troost@wur.nlThe Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) was introduced in the Wadden Seain the 1970s. It expanded rapidly, and is now overgrowing native mussel(Mytilus edulis) beds. We studied whether Pacific oysters are taking overmussels beds and whether overgrowth by oysters leads to a reducedcondition of mussels, due to competition for food.Mussel and oyster beds are mapped annually in the Dutch Wadden Seasince 1995, and biomass samples are taken each spring. Oyster beds aresurveyed in the same manner in the Oosterschelde estuary since 2011. Weused these data to study the development of oyster beds relative to musselbed occurrence in the Wadden Sea. We used the biomass data to study arelationship between oyster biomass and mussel condition. Additionally westudied growth and condition of caged mussels and oysters at varying oysterdensities in the Oosterschelde estuary.We show that oysters are not only overgrowing existing mussel beds, turningthem into mixed oyster/mussel beds. They also develop outside musselbeds, offering opportunities for development of mussel beds in previouslysuboptimal areas. We also show a decreasing condition and growth ofcaged mussels, but not of oysters, with an increasing oyster density in anoyster bed in the Oosterschelde. We will show preliminary results of thebiomass study in the Wadden Sea and Oosterschelde to discuss whetheroyster overgrowth also leads to reduced mussel condition and growth on alarger spatial scale, and to make comparisons between two systems withdifferent invasion history and food conditions.- 68 -

Theme: Biodiversity and ecosystem functionRange Extensions by Larval Transport versus Human Assistance: Diopatrabiscayensis in Northern FranceSarah Ann Woodin 1 , David S. Wethey 1 , Stanislas Dubois 21University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA2IFREMER, Plouzané, FranceUniversity of South Carolina, United States of AmericaEmail: woodin@biol.sc.eduOBJECTIVES: The tube-building polychaete Diopatra biscayensis has a 400km gap between populations in the Bay of Biscay and the English Channel.We examined alternative hypotheses for establishment of the EnglishChannel population: 1) larval transport by ocean currents and 2) humanintervention. We also asked whether the population in the English Channelappeared to be self-sustaining and capable of expansion northward.METHODS: We examined records of movement of shellfish culture materialsbetween the Bay of Biscay and the English Channel, and the likelihood oftransport of juvenile Diopatra. Size distributions of populations were used toestimate growth and natural recruitment over a three year period. Resultsof Lagrangian particle tracking were used to estimate potential transport byocean currents.RESULTS: Shellfish operators often work at both sites, moving materialsbetween the two, collecting mussel juveniles on ropes and oyster juvenileson tiles in the Bay of Biscay, and transporting them to the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel. Populations in the Bay of Biscay, except at the range edge,experienced recruitment every year 2010-2012 and displayed a range ofsize classes. In contrast in the English Channel, more than 850 individualswere measured in 2011-2012, only one juvenile (tube ID < 5mm) and veryfew small individuals were seen.Lagrangian transport of larvae could account for no more than 20 km duringthe larval period (

Theme: Biodiversity and ecosystem functionTaxonomic diversity of marine benthic Harpacticoid copepods: comparisonbetween low and high latitudesAndrey Azovsky 1 , Elena Chertoprud 1 and Lesya Garlitska 21Dept. of Hydrobiology, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia2P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology RAS, RussiaEmail: aiazovsky@mail.ruLatitudinal trends are one of the most intriguing patterns in biodiversity. Formany taxa, however, a direct comparison of diversity is difficult because ofsufficient incompleteness of the data. We use the database of geographicdistribution of shallow-water harpacticoids (2366 species) to compare theirspecies and genus diversity in the Arctic seas and in tropics. For eachregional or local species list, we calculate the expected number of genera fora given number of species randomly selected from corresponding speciespool. Overall, 148 genera (402 species) have been reported from arcticshallow waters, and only 29.7% of these genera have not been found intropics. In tropical regions, 310 genera (1120 species) have been found,66.5% of “tropical” genera are not presented in Arctic. Both arctic andtropical regional faunas have significantly less genera then expected, butthis depletion is twice more substantial in the Arctic region. We also analyzedthe local diversity for 25 arctic and 35 tropical sites. There is no differencein average species richness (46.3 and 43.0 species per site, respectively).Arctic communities have fewer genera (i.e., higher percent of congeners)than expected, whereas in tropics the genera richness usually does notdiffer significantly from the expected values. Thus, arctic faunas showlower global but similar local species diversity, than compared with tropics.Moreover, the genus diversity also differs significantly between arctic andtropical communities at global, regional and local scales. We hypothesizethat arctic environment favors representatives of certain genera but filter outsome others. On the contrary, the tropical faunas demonstrate higher levelof generic diversification.- 70 -

Theme: Biodiversity and ecosystem functionMacrofaunal Diversity Supported by Sabellaria Spinulosa Reefs: Implicationsfor Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) MonitoringBryony Pearce 1 , Jose M. Fariñas-Franco 2 , Bill Sanderson 21The Marine Institute, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL48AA, UK2Centre for Marine Biodiversity & Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences,John Muir Building, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UKEmail: bryonypearce@hotmail.comArticle 10 of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive requires MemberStates to establish targets and indicators for 11 high-level descriptors of GoodEnvironmental Status, which include biological diversity. Since UK waterscontain a large proportion of Europe’s biogenic reefs the UK is leading theway in developing a coherent monitoring regime for these habitats. Habitatsformed by the tubiculous polychaete Sabellaria spinulosa have frequentlybeen reported as biodiversity hotspots although there has been very littleresearch to support or disprove this hypothesis. This study brings togetheran extensive body of data from a variety of sources in an attempt to betterunderstand the relationship between S. spinulosa reefs and the associatedfauna.Analysis of over 900 quantitative grab samples and 397 seabed imagesrevealed a weak but statistically significant correlation between the densityof S. spinulosa worms and the number of species found in the same habitat.The faunal communities associated with S. spinulosa reefs were found to bevariable depending on geographical location but were typically characterisedby an increased abundance of species which were found sporadically inadjacent sedimentary deposits. Most notably the porcelain crab Pisidialongicornis which was found to be present on the reefs in very highabundances. Very few data were collected from unimpacted S. spinulosareef habitats, but early observations of a protected reef indicate that we haveyet to record a fully pristine reef and hence the proposed indicators of reefhealth will need to be re-visited regularly as new data become available.- 71 -

Theme: Mapping Habitats and determining ecologicalstatusEcological status and environmental status of marine waters:Easy definitions,complex assessments.Angel BorjaAZTI Technalia, Spainaborja@azti.es- 72 -

Theme: Mapping habitats and determining ecological statusThe importance of vertical structures for biodiversity in submarine canyonsKatleen Robert 1 , Veerle A.I. Huvenne 2 and Daniel O.B. Jones 21School of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, WaterfrontCampus, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK2National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UKEmail: kr2e11@soton.ac.ukSubmarine canyons are complex geomorphological features that incise thecontinental slope, linking the continental shelf to the abyssal plain. Due totheir morphological complexity, submarine canyons have been suggested aspotential hotspots for biodiversity, but few canyons have been mapped andstudied at high resolution. In this study, the four main branches of Whittardcanyon, Northeast Atlantic, were mapped using both multibeam andsidescan sonar to examine which environmental variables are most useful inpredicting regions of higher biodiversity. The high resolution bathymetric andbackscatter maps obtained were complemented by 13 ROV video imagerytransects divided across the western and eastern branches of the canyon atdepths ranging from 650 m to 4,000 m. Over 100 hours of video was collected,and used to identify and georeference megabenthic invertebrates speciespresent within specific areas of the canyon. At the broad scale, biodiversitywas found to decrease with depth while no difference was observed betweenthe two canyon branches. Over 200 taxa were observed and distinct speciesassemblages were identified in most transects, suggesting that additionalsampling would be required to fully capture the biodiversity present as wellas its scale of variation. At the finer scale, areas of hard substratum andvertical structures tended to harbour a higher epifauna biodiversity thanthe surrounding soft sediments. The information gained from the spatiallylimited imagery transects was employed to identify areas, based on the fullcoverage bathymetric and backscatter maps, where higher diversity waslikely to occur, providing useful information to guide further sampling efforts.- 73 -

Theme: Mapping habitats and determining ecological statusSubtidal monitoring methods for determining ecological statusHenk van ReinQueen’s University Belfast, United KingdomEmail: h.vanrein@qub.ac.ukPhotoquadrats enable efficient and cost-effective quantitative estimationof epibenthic communities. Despite their utility, however, there has beenlimited use of photoquadrats for such purposes in temperate north-westEurope, where there is also a growing need for standardized approaches tomarine monitoring. A rapid photoquadrat-based methodology was trialled byscuba divers on a heterogeneous boulder-slope habitat in a Special Area ofConservation (SAC) in Northern Irish waters. To investigate the monitoringpotential of the method, the benthic community was randomly sampled in thesummers of 2009 and 2010. The community was represented at species level(community composition) and by functional group (community structure), andthe data-extraction resolution was varied using different numbers of pointintercepts per image (25, 50, and 100) to assess the balance of precisionand efficiency with regard to detection of community change.The methodwas efficient in situ and yielded sufficient sample images for estimationof local benthic community diversity (number of species). The communityvaried significantly, with six distinct sub-communitiesidentified within the survey area. High spatial variability obscured detectionof temporal changes in the overall community composition and structure.However, spatial variability was substantially reduced by testing only thedominant sub-community, in which significant changes were detectedbetween 2009 and 2010. The ability of the photoquadrat to detect individualtaxa was related to data resolution: the more point-intercepts sampled,the more taxa were discovered, but the data-extraction effort was greater.After considering the ability of the photoquadrat method to quantify numberof species and to detect change in community structure, as well as itsprecision and efficiency, the inspection of 50 point intercepts per sampleimage was found to be optimal. These findings demonstrate the benefitsof photoquadrat-based methods and highlight their potential as a standardapproach to marine monitoring.- 74 -

Theme: Mapping habitats and determining ecological statusSense or sensivity? – The integrated approach to pollution monitoring.Wilson, J.G., Giltrap, M. and McHugh, B.Trinity College Dublin, IrelandEmail: jwilson@tcd.ieThe conventional view of pollution monitoring is that any choice is atrade-off between realism and precision, as the control over confoundingvariables decreases with the increasing degree of organization of the testsystem. Dublin Bay is subject to considerable anthropogenic pressuresand there have been many attempts to quantify the status of the system atorganizational levels from DNA strand breaks (Comet) to the system itself(Ecological Network analysis, ENA)Using Dublin Bay as an example, the data shown there was considerablevariability at all levels of organization, with intracellular level LMS (byNRR) varying almost 4-fold with season and individual condition, whilethe community level AMBI had a similar range within a single, supposedlyhomogenous, site. This poses problems for management, especially wherean WQS may be exceeded and the attempts to address the problem includebulking the samples for analysis, specifying a season for sampling orrestricting the size-range of specimens for assay.Clearly while the integrated approach to pollution monitoring does offer thepotential to link effects across the organizational range, it should also bepossible to improve their capability by widening the database for referencevalues, particularly at the higher level of organization, and by processmodels, including the confounding variables found in the field, for those at alower level.- 75 -

Theme: Mapping habitats and determining ecological statusDeveloping diversity indicators for biogenic reefs in the UK under the MarineStrategy Framework Directive: Modiolus modiolus reefs as a case study.Jose M. Fariñas-Franco, Dan B. Harries, James M. Mair, Robert Cook, WilliamG. SandersonCentre for Marine Biodiversity & Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, JohnMuir Building, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UKEmail: jose.farinas.franco@gmail.comUnder the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) Member Statesare required to establish targets and indicators for each of the descriptorsintended to guide progress towards achieving Good Environmental Statusof marine waters. The interpretation of Descriptor 1 on biological diversityprovides a strong steer towards biogenic reefs formed by the blue musselMytilus edulis, the horse mussel Modiolus modiolus and the ross wormSabellaria spinulosa. This work aimed at identifying sampling methodsand associated metrics suitable for use in monitoring two biogenic reefindicators identified by the UK as part of its commitment to implement theMSFD: (1) density of the reef building organisms; and (2) abundance ofassociated species. Similarly to other reef building organisms, M. modiolusforms complex three-dimensional structures of high biodiversity in otherwisesedimentary environments. Historical data going as far back as the 1970swas compiled from more than 15 M. modiolus beds located in Scotland,Wales and the Isle of Man to evaluate the scale of spatial and temporalvariability in the associated community. In situ and remote survey techniqueswere also reviewed and field trials undertaken with the aim of minimisingthe scale of error and provide recommendations for monitoring M. modiolusbiogenic reef indicators. Significant reductions in M. modiolus density andmacrofaunal biodiversity were recorded in reefs impacted by fishing gearthus validating the proposed indicators as proxies of biogenic reef condition.- 76 -

Theme: Mapping habitats and determining ecological statusThe Wild West of Orkney: characterisation of littoral biotopes along waveexposed cliff basesAndrew Want, Jonathan C. Side, Michael C. BellInternational Centre for Island Technology – Heriot Watt University,Stromness, Orkney KW16 3AW, United KingdomE-mail: a.want@hw.ac.uk.The Wild West of Orkney: characterisation of littoral biotopes alongwave exposed cliff bases. The rocky coast of West Mainland, Orkney ischaracterised by spectacular, sheer cliffs. Exposure to extreme wave energyplays a dominant role in both shaping this landscape and determining thelittoral community. In March 2010, the Crown Estate announced the leasingof several sites for development of wave energy extraction. The ecologicalconsequences of commercial scale removal of wave energy, however, arenot well understood. As part of a detailed, ‘predevelopment’ monitoringprogramme, we have completed the first survey of littoral assemblagesalong the entire coast of West Mainland, Orkney. This includes descriptionand identification of the biological community along cliff bases and off-shoreskerries, a large proportion of which has never previously been surveyedowing to difficulties of access. Biotope coverage was quantified by in situassessment and by photographic image analysis. Data were also collectedon geomorphic features which may mediate wave exposure, such as slope,aspect and complexity of substrate. Survey results suggest that subtlechanges in wave exposure can be observed in quantifiable differences in thelittoral community which may be of predictive value in identifying changes tothe community following long-term environmental change, such as energyextraction. The use of multiple indicators should allow responses to waveenergy extraction to be detected alongside a background of changes due toother systemic forcing agents such as climate change.- 77 -

Theme: Mapping habitats and determining ecological statusWhat is the ecological status – using spatial modeling to define referenceconditions for benthic macroinvertebrate indices in coastal watersBekkby, T., Gundersen, H., Norling, K., Rygg, B. and Walday, M.Norwegian Institute for Water Research, NorwayEmail: trine.bekkby@niva.noThere is an increasing need to assess the ecological quality of coastalwaters. The Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires understanding ofthe variability in reference conditions for European waters. For Norway inparticular, this means assessing the reference conditions over large spatialscales, from temperate to arctic ecoregions, from inner and sheltered fjordsto outer and exposed coast. Norway and the majority of EU member statesuse a single value of reference conditions for all regions and water typeswithin a country. We believe that there is a need for differentiation of thisvalue. The purpose of this work was therefore to develop and test spatialmodels of indices of benthic macroinvertebrate reference conditions forsubtidal sediment habitats along the Norwegian coast of Skagerrak. Datafrom 336 stations sampled from 1974 to 2009 was integrated together withthe modeled geophysical predictor data depth, slope, wave exposure andbasin and terrain curvature. Statistical models were fitted using GeneralizedAdditive Models (GAMs) and Akaike Information Criteria (AIC) was used formodel selection. Our models explained up to 32% of the deviance but failedto predict the full range of the observed index values, overestimating at lowand underestimating at high values. This discrepancy might be caused bya combination of important environmental variables lacking in the analysesand the use of indices instead of detailed community information. This studystill illustrates the potential usefulness of spatial modeling for differentiatingreference conditions across regions, water types and geophysical gradients.- 78 -

Theme: Climate ChangeBiogeography of range edges in marine populations – effects of larvaltransport and extreme eventsDavid S. Wethey 1 , Gonzalo Macho 1,2 , Sarah Ann Woodin 1 , Stanislas Dubois 31University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA2University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain3IFREMER, Plouzané, FranceEmail: wethey@biol.sc.eduOBJECTIVES: The barnacle Semibalanus balanoides and the polychaeteDiopatra have multiple range edges in France, Spain, and Portugal.Population densities decay exponentially with distance in the case ofSemibalanus, but are abrupt in the case of Diopatra. We asked whetherdifferences in larval transport duration could account for the differences inpopulation structure at the range edges.METHODS: Larval transport was modeled with Lagrangian particle tracking,using surface velocity fields from several ocean models developed by the UKMet Office, IFREMER, the US Navy and the Spanish Puertos del Estado.Inverse modeling was used to estimate likely pelagic larval duration basedon the shape of the tails of the population distributions at the range edges.RESULTS: Lagrangian particle tracking predicted exponential decay ofpopulation connectivity with distance, and the slope of the relationship wasproportional to the length of the pelagic larval period. The abrupt populationboundaries observed in Diopatra are the result of a short larval period (< 6d),whereas the more gradual range edges in Semibalanus likely result from apelagic larval period > 30 d. Extreme events, like the cold winters of 2009-10 which enhanced Semibalanus reproduction, are detectable as deviationsfrom the population distributions at range edges.CONCLUSIONS: The interaction between larval transport and metapopulationstructure determines the population density distribution at geographic rangeedges. The spatial scale of the effect is determined by the length of thepelagic larval period. Deviations from exponential decay of populationdensity with distance at range edges may derive from changes in larvalsupply during extreme climatic events.- 79 -

Theme: Climate ChangeDecadal scale change in Sabellaria alveolata within the United KingdomBush, L., Davies, A., and Firth, L.University of Bangor, United KingdomEmail: laura_bush@hotmail.comSabellaria alveolata is protected in UK waters as a biogenic reef formingspecies. This southern warm-water species reaches its northernbiogeographical range limit in northwest Britain. Long-term, broadscaledatasets extending back to the 1910s are available for S. alveolatadistribution and abundance within UK waters and it is clear that S. alveolatahas suffered severe mortalities in some areas, predominantly after theextremely cold winter of 1962/1963. The aim of this survey programme wasto assess the present day abundance of S. alveolata within UK waters andcompare this to past datasets, with the hypothesis that S. alveolata wouldshow an increase in abundance and distribution at its northern range limit asa result of climate change. A comprehensive study of the UK distribution of S.alveolata was carried out by Cunningham et al. (1984) and this methodologywas replicated with a repeat survey of >100 sites, from Argyll, Scotlandto Cornwall, England, in 2012-13. No major range extension was found,although a dramatic increase in abundance was recorded at northern sites.Several new locations were recorded within this region. Sites south of theLleyn Peninsula in North Wales showed variable increases and decreasesin abundance. Comprehensive datasets pre1962 are not available, howeveranalysis of historic records reveals extirpations occurred in northern butnot southern populations post the extreme winter of 1962/1963. Southernsites may have recovered by 1984, unlike northern sites, which continued toincrease in abundance to the present day.- 80 -

Theme: Climate ChangeThe scales of association between zooplankton communities of the NorthAtlanticNiall McGintyRyan Institute, Marine Environment, NUI Galway, University Road, GalwayEmail: mcgintyn@gmail.comOver the last two decades there has been an increased effort in quantifying thelevel in which climate variability affects marine ecosystems, although much ofthese have relied on single site or within region time series. Between regioncomparisons can help considerably in overcoming the detection/descriptionconstraints that come with studies limited to one location. Recently, a specialissue of Progress in Oceanography on zooplankton highlighted a number ofmethodological problems in comparing time series between regions whichinclude amongst others, developing metrics that can incorporate speciesinformation and can compare trophic communities with different constituentsacross various spatial scales. Multivariate control charts can be used toproduce a metric which detects whether a zooplankton community in a regionis stable (stochastic within a defined threshold) or unstable (deviation beyonda threshold) in response to a pre-defined baseline. Here, I develop uponprevious research by investigating zooplankton stability across the NorthAtlantic looking at between region relationships in zooplankton communitiesusing phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation as alternating baselines usingdata derived from the Continuous Plankton Recorder. Trends in the stabilityof zooplankton communities will be modelled using hierarchical linearmodelling in order to disentangle the scales of association between regions.- 81 -

Theme: Climate ChangeThe different effect of climate change on the eutrophication in the lagoonecosystems (e.g. Curonian and Vistula Lagoons)Sergey AleksandrovAtlantic Research Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanography, 5 Dm.Donskoy St., Kaliningrad, 236022, Russia.Email: hydrobio@mail.ruCoastal lagoons are most vulnerable to impacts of natural environmentaland anthropogenic factors. The Curonian Lagoon and Vistula Lagoon arethe largest coastal lagoons of the Baltic Sea, relating to the most highlyproductive water bodies of Europe. The Curonian Lagoon is choke mostlyfreshwater lagoon, while the Vistula Lagoon is restricted brackish waterlagoon. The researches (chlorophyll, primary production nutrients, etc)were carried out monthly since 1991 to 2013. The database includes 1430stations in the Curonian Lagoon, 1470 stations in the Vistula Lagoon. Longtermdata on the water temperature were estimated on the basis of dailyobservations at hydrometeorological stations. Eutrophication is one of themost important problems. On the basis of comparison with hydrologicaland chemical parameters the main factors, which influence the level ofeutrophication, are indicated. The water temperature appears the keyenvironmental factor determining the level of primary production and algaeblooms in the choked Curonian Lagoon. Climate change in 1990s-2000scombined with other factors (freshwater, slow-flow exchange, high nutrientsconcentrations) creates conditions for Cyanobacteria “hyperblooms”. In thisLagoon eutrophication and algal blooms have the maximum unfavorableeffects on the ecosystem and hyperblooms lead to the deterioration of thewater chemical parameters, death of fish in the coastal zone and pollutionwith toxins, symptoms of exposure are observed at different trophic levels(zooplankton, fish). The climate warming in 1990s-2000s causes ongoingeutrophication of the Curonian Lagoon despite of significant reduction ofnutrients loading. Also, unfavorable effects of eutrophication have beenobserved in restricted lagoons(e.g. Vistula Lagoon), but hydrodynamic activity and brackish water preventhyperblooming of Cyanobacteria. Thus, the local climate warming and moreintensive summer warming-up of the water in 1990s-2000s did not affectsignificantly the productivity and ecological state of the restricted brackishwater Vistula Lagoon, unlike the choke freshwater Curonian Lagoon.- 82 -

Theme: Climate ChangeRealized niche width of a brackish water submerged aquatic vegetation undercurrent environmental conditions and projected influences of climate changeJonne Kotta, Tiia Möller, Helen Orav-Kotta, Merli PärnojaEstonian Marine Institute, University of Tartu, Mäealuse 14, 12618 Tallinn,Estonia,Email: jonne.kotta@sea.eeEcologists have typically interpreted the composition of communities as theoutcome of local-scale processes. However, in recent decades this view haschallenged emphasizing the importance of large scale processes includingthe climate change. The Baltic Sea hosts a peculiar mixture of submergedaquatic vegetation of marine, brackish or fresh water origin, each speciescharacterised by its specific tolerance to environmental conditions. Locatedat the margins of typical marine environments, the Baltic Sea is a vulnerableecosystem and predicted dramatic effects of climate change (increased waterturbidity, temperature and reduced salinity and ice cover) will challenge all thesubmerged aquatic species. In this study the species-specific distributionaldatabases of submerged aquatic vegetation were coupled to environmentalenvelopes. The analyses showed that the majority of the studied submergedaquatic species were most sensitive to changes in ice cover and exposure towaves. Surprisingly, water salinity and turbidity had low impact on the biota.This approach enabled to identify critical thresholds marking tipping pointswhere regime shifts in species distribution occurred and this knowledgewas then used to model species distribution under current environmentalconditions and the projected influences of climate change.- 83 -

Theme: Climate ChangeResponse of krill species to hypoxia and warming: a biogeographiccomparisonNelly Tremblay and Doris AbeleAlfred-Wegener Institute, GermanyEmail: nelly.tremblay@awi.deShallow oxygen minimum zones (OMZ) occur frequently in the easterntropical Pacific (ETP), the Humboldt Current system (HCS), and the northernCalifornia Current system (NCCS). The present study challenges the generalview that expansions of OMZ due to global warming will not dramaticallyaffect vertical migrators like euphausiids. To understand the response ofspecies not permanently living in the OMZ to hypoxia, we compared theirrespiratory response capacity and conducted stress experiments combininghypoxia/reoxygenation with high temperature. We analysed metabolic andoxidative stressparameters of euphausiid species on a latitudinal gradient in the easternPacific spanning from Antarctica to the NCCS. Species from ETP and HCSwhich live permanently in the OMZ are oxyconformers with the ability tosuppress metabolism when exposed to hypoxia,characteristic of OMZ species. The activity of the mitochondrial marker citratesynthase (CS) was significantly lower in Euphausia mucronata, endemic tothe HCS, compared to ETP species. This corroborates the lower metabolicrate and preferred use of anaerobic pathway in this OMZ-adapted species.CS was significantly reduced in Euphausia distinguenda (ETP) when hypoxiawas combined with 5°C warming. NCCS and Antarctic species were clearlyoxyregulating. The most important NCCS species, Euphausia pacifica,showed increased lipid oxidative damage when exposed to hypoxia. Inthis case higher temperatures apparently mitigated the damaging effectof hypoxia as 2°C of warming mobilized catalase activity, which lead to asuppression of oxidative stress under reoxygenation. Thus, analyses ofdifferent key species with distinct pre-adaptations shed new light on thegeneral views and enable a more differentiated understanding of speciesand ecosystem specific hypoxia tolerance.- 84 -

Theme: Combined session: Hydrothermal vents andmining and Biodiversity and BioresourcesImpacts of Anthropogenic Disturbances at Deep-Sea Hydrothermal VentEcosystems: Knowledge and GapsCindy Lee Van DoverHarvey W. Smith Professor of Biological Oceanography, Director, DukeUniversity Marine Laboratory, Chair, Division of Marine Science andConservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, 135 Marine Lab Road,Beaufort NC 28516clv3@duke.eduDeep-sea hydrothermal-vent ecosystems have stimulated decades ofscientific research and hold promise of mineral and genetic resources thatalso serve societal needs. Some endemic taxa thrive only in the specialenvironments of vents, and vent-associated organisms are adapted to avariety of natural disturbances, from tidal variations to earthquakes andvolcanic eruptions. Physico-chemical and biological impacts of a range ofhuman activities at vents are considered here. Mining is the only activityprojected to have a major impact on vent ecosystems, based on our currentunderstanding of ecological responses to disturbance. Potential cumulativeimpacts of mining on benthic communities in a region range from local toglobal species extinctions and shifts in community structure and function.Natural recovery from a mining event depends on successful immigrationand larval recruitment and colonization; greater understanding of processesand dynamics influencing dispersion and colonization of life-history stagesmay be key to effective minimization and mitigation of mining impacts.- 85 -

Theme: Combined session: Hydrothermal vents andmining and Biodiversity and BioresourcesThe distribution and connectivity of macrobenthos in areas of potentialseafloor massive sulphide mining in the New Zealand Exclusive EconomicZone.Rachael BoschenNational Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd/Victoria Universityof Wellington, School of Biological Sciences, New ZealandEmail: rachel.boschen@vuw.ac.nzHydrothermal vents are valued biologically for their unique chemosyntheticcommunities but they also have economic potential for mineral extraction.These minerals are predominantly in the form of seafloor massive sulphides(SMS) which are rich in iron, copper, zinc, silver and gold and occur at bothactive and inactive hydrothermal vent sites. Mining for SMS deposits willprobably remove all organisms in the immediate area, whilst communities ofthe surrounding habitat may also be impacted by suspended and depositedsediment resulting from the activities. Following exploration for SMSdeposits in New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone (NZ EEZ), potentialsites for SMS mining have been identified. As part of the ecological riskassessment (ERA) for SMS mining, the potential recolonisation of disturbedareas by neighbouring populations from non-impacted areas needs to beassessed. For this purpose, the distribution of benthic macrofauna at severalpotential sites was investigated using video footage and stills from multipleindustry and scientific surveys, and the potential for recolonisation aftermining was assessed. Taxa were identified and their abundances estimated,and basic habitat characteristics (substratum type, morphology, depth,hydrothermal activity) were described. These georeferenced data were usedto generate faunal distribution maps and investigate relationships betweenhabitat characteristics and community composition. Preliminary resultsfrom population genetics studies of key species were used to determinethe connectivity of populations at the study sites, and in the wider region.Combining the distribution maps and connectivity results enabled an initialassessment to be made of the vulnerability of the macrobenthic community toSMS mining. This information will be used to generate an ERA and ultimatelyinform the management of mining SMS deposits within the NZ EEZ.- 86 -

Theme: Combined session: Hydrothermal vents andmining and Biodiversity and BioresourcesRapid assessment of set-aside suitabilityDr. Patrick CollinsUniversity College Dublin, IrelandEmail: patrickcollins119@gmail.comAn essential component in the development of responsible environmentalmanagement plans, for the exploitation of deep-sea Seafloor Massive Sulfides(SMS), is the identification of suitable biological set-asides or controls. Setasidesmaintain the regional diversity of vent endemic communities and area potential larval source for the repopulation of mine sites post extraction.Here we present a proof-of-concept study using presence absence datasetsderived from video footage that allows for the rapid assessment of suitabilityof set-asides. We describe vent endemic communities from three SMS sites,between 1000 and 1200m depth within the Tonga EEZ. Two sites lie

Theme: Special Themes Hydrothermal vents and miningFaunal diversity above and along deep sea brines in the Red SeaHege Vestheim, Andre Antunes & Stein KaartvedtKing Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Kingdom of SaudiArabiaEmail: hege.vestheim@gmail.com25 deep-sea brine pools occur along the central axis of the Red Sea allwith distinct brine-seawater interfaces with gradients of salinity, temperature,density, O2 and pH as well as other physicochemical gradients typifying theindividual brines. Deep-sae mining of their associated metalliferous muds isunder planning. Previous studies have revealed a rich biodiversity of microbialcommunities with novel extremophiles that thrive in the inhospitable brineenvironments. The steep gradients in salinity at the interface create densitygradients functioning as sediment traps also fuelling microbial life.Using ROV we assessed the hereto unexplored metazoan fauna found in thebrine seawater interface just above the brine and along the “shore” of the brinepools at the Atlantis II (~2000 m), Valdivia (~1525 m) and Kebrit (~1465 m)deeps. While the waters just above the Atlantis II pool appeared to be depletedof macrofauna, increased numbers of zooplankton were found at the Valdiviaand Kebrit interface compared to waters above. Especially chaetognathsseemed to exploit the brine habitats. Mussel beds were found in a narrow(20 cm) band along the Valdivia deep consisting of what appeared to be onlyone species of a small (5 mm) mollusc. The Kebrit shore is characterizedwith many non-active chimneys. The collection of two chimneys documentedthem to be habitats for numerous of sea anemones, snails (Cocculina sp.and individuals belonging to Littorinidae) and polychaetes (capitellids andindividuals belonging to Sabellida). Fish and shrimps were also frequentlyobserved at the shore of both Valdivia and Kebrit. The brine pool interfacesmay therefore be regarded as “oases” as the deep sea floor of the Red Seagenerally is poor in benthos and the waters are highly oligotrophic.- 88 -

Theme: Combined session: Hydrothermal vents andmining and Biodiversity and BioresourcesConnectivity, colonisation ecology and population resilience at Mid-Atlantichydrothermal vent communitiesJens CarlssonUniversity College Dublin, IrelandEmail: jens.carlsson@ucd.ieIn 2011 the Irish Marine Institute and National Geographic funded theVENTuRE scientific cruise to locate and map the Moytirra hydrothermal ventfield located at 45°N on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Twelve species were foundat the site with shrimps and limpets dominating the assemblage. Samples ofthese endemic shrimps and limpets as well as from the less numerous specieswere collected for future genetic analyses. This projects aims to delineatethe phylogenetic relationship among the sampled species and vent faunafrom other locations. Population connectivity, structure and demographicparameters will be assessed through molecular markers (mitochondrial COIsequencing and nuclear DNA microsatellite analyses) for the dominatingshrimp and limpet species. The findings will improve our understandingof deep-sea connectivity, colonisation ecology and population resilience.Hydrothermal vents contain high value, grade and concentrations of ore. Thismakes them an attractive target for commercial mineral extraction, a processwhich would severely impact chemosynthetic vent communities. Deep-seamining operations are already nearing commencement in the South pacific.The results from this study will inform development of baseline, monitoringand management plans to mitigate disturbances caused by mineral extractionat vent fields.- 89 -

Theme: Combined session: Hydrothermal vents andmining and Biodiversity and BioresourcesGreen Intelligent Materials: Developing New Surfaces with Anti-BiofilmsPropertiesRozenn Trepos and Claire HellioUniversity of Portsmouth, School of Biological Sciences, King Henry Building,King Henry Street I, PO1 2DY , Portsmouth , UK.Email: rozenn.trepos@port.ac.ukGreen Intelligent Materials is an INTERREG project of three years duration.The aim is to set up a trans-Channel Centre for the elaboration of greenintelligent “smart” biomaterials. We plan to develop strategies for thefunctionalization of polymeric materials by using biomolecules from marineorigin, in order to modify the interactions between microorganisms and thesepolymer surfaces.Algae have the ability to produce a huge variety of chemical defenses, someprevent over-predation or competition from colonizing microorganisms.Test were performed on the antifouling and antimicrobial activities of 31purified extracts of macroalgae against 12 strains of bacteria and 4 strainsof marine microalgae involved in surface colonisation process. Nine extractshave shown promising results by inhibiting the growth of bacteria witha Minimum Inhibition Concentration (MIC) value ≤ 0.01µg/ml. The mostpromising compounds were subsequently combined and both antifouling andantibacterial activities were re-assessed. One of the mixture of compoundsdisplayed remarkable results by inhibiting the growth of five bacteria (Polaribacter irgensii, Vibrio aestuarianus, Vibrio harveyi, Escherichia coli andStaphylococcus aureus) and two microalgae strains (Amphora coffeaformisand Porphyridium purpureum) with MIC value ≤ 0.01 µg/ml.Our research has led to the discovery of new compounds with antimicrobialand antifouling properties.The specific activity of surfaces by biocidal molecules, active against biofilms,is a great challenge, leading to the development of biomedical materials withantimicrobial barriers. Applications are of interest to packaging and marineantifouling surfaces. The next step of the project will be the encapsulation ofthe most promising compounds in microparticles.- 90 -

Theme: Combined session: Hydrothermal vents andmining and Biodiversity and BioresourcesMariculture of Chondrilla nucula and Chondrosia reniformis, methods andapplications.M. Milanese 1 , A. Sarà 1 , M. Previati 2 , M. Pozzolini 3 , V. Berilli 3 , C. Cerrano 4 , M.Gokalp 5 , R. Osinga 51Studio Associato Gaia snc, Genova - Italy; m.milanese@studioassociatogaia.com2Centro di Educazione Ambientale - Municipality of Imperia, Imperia - Italy3DISTAV - University of Genoa, Genoa - Italy4DISVA - Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona - Italy5Porifarma BV, Ede - The NetherlandsEmail: m.milanese@studioassociatogaia.comChondrilla nucula and Chondrosia reniformis are two Mediterraneansponges extremely rich in collagen. Given the high added value of suchmaterial, mariculture approaches of both species have been implemented inthe frame of the EU-funded project SPECIAL (SPonge Enzymes and Cellsfor Innovative AppLications, 7FP KBBE GA 266033). The main issue to beaddressed when attempting the farming of C. nucula and C. reniformis relatesto their extreme plasticity, which may lead to quick sponge displacementand eventual loss. Building upon previous trials, specific and effectivefarming strategies have been developed for each species, respectively inAlassio (Italy) and Bodrum (Turkey). Successful re-seeding across multiplegenerations has been achieved. Cultured material could be harvested andfurther processed within the project’s pipeline. Farming protocols are readyfor scaling up. Besides the specific achievements related to the project’s aim,the research performed over more than two years has allowed the deeperunderstanding of the biology and ecology of C. nucula and C. reniformis(e.g. growth dynamics, and how this relates to the occupation of substrate;feeding biology; effect of seasonality; effect of pollution...). All of this resultedin the definition of a farming platform that, further to biomass production,generates several spill-out applications, e.g. in integrated mariculture,biodiversity enhancement and provision of tailored services for research.- 91 -

Theme: Sustainable management of the oceanFuture trends in marine research in EuropeNiall McDonoughEuropean Marine BoardNMcDonough@esf.orgThe next EU Framework Programme, Horizon 2020, is due to begin in 2014.The structure and priority themes which make up the programme wereunder development for several years before the European Commissionlegislative proposals were first published in November 2011. The Europeanmarine science agenda is driven by many political and strategic factors andsubject to the influence of a broad range of stakeholders. For example, theEC Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE) is inthe process of developing and implementing regional sea strategies. Thosestrategies already in place for the Baltic Sea and the northeast Atlantic willhave a major impact on the marine research agenda in the EU countriesbordering these maritime regions.The financial crisis has placed economic recovery at the top of the EUpolicy agenda which has resulted in priority being given to market-orientedresearch at both EU and national level. Most notably, the role of research inaddressing important societal challenges has placed an onus on funders andscientists alike to demonstrate the potential impact of research in areas suchas food and energy security, human health and climate change.The European Marine Board is a partnership of 35 major national marine/oceanographic research institutes and research finding agencies from 20European countries. Recently a third membership category of nationalconsortia of Universities has been added. The Board provides a platformfor its members to interact, develop common priorities and to elucidate withone voice the most important priorities and needs for marine research whichshould be the focus of future investment in Europe. The Board is thus a defacto science policy interface for seas and oceans research in Europe.- 92 -

Theme: Sustainable management of the oceanReef length dependent impact of the ecosystem engineer Crassostrea gigason sedimentary intertidal flats.Brenda Walles 1,2 , João Salvador de Paiva 3 , Tom Ysebaert 2,41Aquaculture and Fisheries Group, Wageningen University and Research, POBox 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, the Netherlands.2IMARES Wageningen, Institute for Marine Resources and Ecosystem Studies,PO Box 77, 4400 AB Yerseke, the Netherlands3Delta Academy Applied Research Centre, HZ University of Applied Sciences,PO Box 364, 4380 AJ Vlissingen, The Netherlands4NIOZ Yerseke, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, PO Box 140,4400 AC Yerseke, The Netherlands.Email: brenda.walles@wur.nlCoastal erosion represents worldwide a large threat to coastal areas. Coastalprotection traditionally consists of man-made structures armouring the landwaterinterface. Nowadays a shift towards a more natural coastal defenceoccurs by using natural elements into coastal engineering. Successfulincorporation of natural elements in coastal engineering requires knowledgeabout the impact on the surrounding landscape and habitat constrains ofthe natural element. Most coastal engineering projects which incorporateartificial oyster reefs purely use them as breakwaters within a few metersfrom the shore. We investigated the sedimentary landscape around naturaloccurring oyster reefs, which acts as ecosystem engineers, to optimize theiruse in coastal engineering. We measured heights of 11 oyster reefs andtheir surroundings to determine the influence of ecosystem engineeringoyster reefs on their surrounding landscape. Measurements were used tocreate a digital elevation model in ArcGIS to analyse proportions of the reefsand their surrounding landscapes. Around all reefs an elevated area wasobserved. The size of the elevated area was linear related to properties ofthe reefs. A reef protects an area up to a distance of 93% of its own length.Using stepwise regression we found that reef length 2 was the most importantdeterminant for the elevated area (R 2 = 0.9923; P=6.112e) and volume (R 2 =0.9829; P=1.793e-9). Most reefs did not exceed 0.60m below MSL, indicatinga limitation in their growth due to exposure time. Using oyster reefs purelyas breakwaters is using only a part of its ecosystem engineering ability. Wedemonstrated that reefs can influence an area as far as their own length.There are however habitat constrains which need to be taken into account.With this knowledge future projects could improve the placement of oysterreefs in coastal engineering.- 93 -

Theme: Sustainable management of the oceanAssessing the contribution of urban biodiversity to ecosystem services indisused docks following restorationKatrin Bohn 1 , Louise B. Firth 2,3 , Eilir H. Morgan 3 , Chris Frid 4 , Leonie Robinson 4 ,Simone Dürr 5 , George Russel 6 , Jennifer Cooper 4 and Stephen J. Hawkins 11Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton,University of Southampton, UK2Zoology, Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland3School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, UK4University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK5Liverpool John Moores University, UK6Liverpool Museum, Liverpool, UKEmail: Katrin.Bohn@soton.ac.ukArtificial ‘lagoonoids’ such as disused docks are an unusual marine habitat,due to their variable salinity regimes and the presence of a variety ofartificial hard structures that can support a diverse benthic community. Manydisused docks have undergone extensive redevelopment for recreation andcommercial purposes. The maintenance of their aesthetic appeal, especiallyof good water quality, is of particular importance if their commercial andrecreational value is to be maintained. The Liverpool Docks underwentcomplex redevelopment in the 1980s and research that was carried out duringthat time found that water quality was greatly improved through biofiltrationby large populations of Mytilus edulis. In 2012, extensive re-surveys of thebenthic filter feeding community were undertaken to compare to historicdata. Photographic and destructive surveys of the M. edulis populationsand associated epifaunal communities of invertebrates and algae wereundertaken to study the long-term stability of these benthic communities inthe Liverpool Docks and the contribution of urban biodiversity to ecosystemservices through the improvement of water quality by benthic filter feederssuch as M. edulis, sponges and tunicates. We found that, 30 years followingits completion of redevelopment, the Liverpool Docks still support a healthybiological community with high biofiltration potential. M. edulis remains thedominant species. Age structure of the M. edulis populations varied betweenthe Docks, with >10 year old specimens in certain locations. Similarly,composition of the associated epifaunal communities also differed betweenthe Docks. Most likely, these spatial differences are due to differences in timesince redevelopment and different management practices.- 94 -

Theme: Sustainable management of the oceanThe quantitative analysis of Alexandrium catenella in Monterey Bay, Californiausing imaging flow cytometry.Sarah Cosgrove, Kendra Hayashi, Robin Raine and Raphael KudelaThe Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway, Galway, Ireland.Email: s.cosgrove2@nuigalway.ieHarmful Algal Blooms pose a threat to the health of both humans andsurrounding marine life and require consistent and reliable methods ofmonitoring. The early detection of these harmful species in the water canhelp to minimize potentially noxious impacts, e.g. the consumption ofcontaminated shellfish. Current methods of monitoring including traditionalmicroscopy methods and Fluorescent In Situ Hybridisation (FISH) can betime-consuming and tedious. The FlowCAM, designed for the enumerationand identification of phytoplankton, enables rapid sample analysis whichincorporates flow cytometry, digital imaging and microscopy. Here weinvestigate the possibility of developing the use of the FlowCAM for theautomated monitoring of the lethal neurotoxin producer Alexandrium catenellawithin the Monterey Bay area. Integrated water samples and phytoplanktonnet tows were collected weekly from The Santa Cruz wharf area over aneight week period. The samples were analyzed using the FlowCAM andresults compared against current methods of detection. We also coupledthe FlowCAM with an oligonucleotide molecular probe to increase theaccuracy of its species-specific detection. No significant difference wasfound between the quantitative analysis of A. catenella using FISH and theFlowCAM (P = 0.91). The FlowCAM also proved its ability to successfullydetect probed cells within mixed natural samples. Such advancements in thefield of flow cytometry, including the use of specific probes will help aid thecharacterization and enumeration of individual cells within natural samplesfrom the marine environment.- 95 -

Theme: Sustainable management of the ocean“Red Alert” – ASIMUTH Records, Detects and Forecasts Harmful AlgalBlooms in NE Atlantic watersC. Cusack 1 , T. Dabrowski 1 , K. Lyons 1 , G. Nolan 1 , J. Silke 1 , M. S. Curé 2 , J.Maguire 31Marine Institute, Rinville, Oranmore, Co. Galway, IRELAND2Numerics Warehouse, Tyrone, Kilcolgan, Co. Galway, Ireland3Daithi O’Murchu Marine Research Station, Gearhies, Bantry, Co. Cork,IRELANDcaroline.cusack@marine.ieHarmful Algal Blooms (HABs), sometimes referred to as “red tides” by thegeneral public, are episodic and very regional in nature. These high and/orlow biomass blooms cause large economic losses to coastal communitiesthrough fish mortalities and/or biotoxin contamination of bivalve molluscs.Since aquaculturists want to manage the extraction and sale of their productin a sustainable manner, knowledge of current and expected HAB conditionswill assist with decisions on risk and crisis management and in turn encourageindustry growth.The EC FP7 funded space themed project “ASIMUTH” (Applied Simulationsand Integrated Modelling for the Understanding of Toxic and Harmful AlgalBlooms) has, over the last two and half years, developed a HAB alert systemfor Europe’s Atlantic coastline.The current state of the ocean and a 2-3 day forecast are publishedeach week in a HAB bulletin (www.asimuth.eu). Tools used to create thebulletin include observational data from satellite images (chlorophyll andsea surface temperature), In-situ data from marine weather buoys andthe national biotoxin and phytoplankton monitoring programme. Numericalmodel outputs are used in combination with historical regional knowledgeto produce the forecast. An important part of the assessment process isthe interpretation of available information by regional experts. This paperlooks at the Irish example and follows the process where a number of datastreams (phytoplankton, biotoxin, satellite, in-situ, numerical predictionsfrom the models etc) feed into the production of a regional HAB bulletin. Thebulletin content gives information on the location, extent and potential fordevelopment or movement of harmful algal blooms.- 96 -

The Professor Carlo Heip Memorial Session on MarineResearch Stations and InfrastructureThe role of European marine stations during the last two decades and in the futureHerman Hummel 1 , Christiaan Hummel 1 , Ferdinando Boero 2 , Pim van Avesaath 1 ,Mike Thorndyke 31Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Yerseke, the Netherlands2University of Salento, CNR-ISMAR, Italy3Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and Göteborg Universityherman.hummel@nioz.nlFor almost two decades the European network of Marine Research Institutesand Stations (MARS) has provided a strong platform for about 70 institutionswith unique research facilities in 25 countries along the coasts across Europe.Marine stations with their unique facilities offer, already since the 19 th century,easy access to (sample, monitor, observe) marine ecosystems and (life)marine organisms, with a large geographic coverage around the extensiveEuropean coastline, and thereby have facilitated the study organisms in theirnatural habitat. Moreover, they offer often high level laboratories, technicalplatforms and experimental facilities, including naturally flowing sea watersystems and climate control rooms and mesocosms. In this way, marinestations are the key to long-term marine research, as well as holding valuable(historical) long term data series, often stretching back more than 100 years.Their positions along the coast make them excellent centres for educationand hosting students and researchers 1 .European marine stations, united in MARS, have over the last two decadesbeen able to jointly develop a successful strategy and policy in marinesciences leading to funding of several major programmes and projects, suchas BIOMARE, MarBEF and EuroMarine.In view of the current climate of diminishing funding and rephrasing ofresearch from fundamental to applied issues, it became timely for the marinestations to adopt a new more focused marine research strategy 2 . A surveysent to all 70 members of the (MARS) supported a new vision on the futurerole of marine stations in Europe.1 As shown recently at the Friday Harbor Laboratories (USA), where the regular and abundant availabilityof the hydromedusa Aequorea victoria led to the isolation of GFP, then leading to a Nobel prize in chemistry.2 Marine stations offer the unique opportunity to work over the long term on specific marine environments,whereas oceanographic vessels allow for episodic visits to a vast array of stations. The two strategies arenot mutually exclusive but are, instead, complementary. If “observatories” are now perceived as havinga strategic importance to understand global change, then Marine Stations are synonymous with marineobservatories.- 97 -

In order to maintain excellence and to be visible among all the other networksthe prime strategy for the future is to be a key-player at the overarchinglevel of science strategy and policy, and to identify together the long-termstrategy and policy in marine research. It will be vital to remain in contactwith managers of European research, and to call more attention to theunique location and role of marine research stations as an important part ofEurope’s scientific infrastructure and community. To this end, MARS has tobe a meeting place for the heads of marine institutes and stations, both largeand small.Earlier analyses of the connections between networks and the participation ofinstitutions, carried out in the frame of the LifeWatch, EuroMarine and EMBOSprojects, showed that the larger stations are the major representatives in thelarge-scale overarching EC funded projects, whereas the smaller stationsare linked to, and dependent on, funding at local (national) scale. The futurerole of a network of marine stations, as MARS, is thus also to safeguard thatthe value, and participation of, all stations, including the smaller, but oftenstrategically located, stations, in large-scale EC projects.- 98 -

The Professor Carlo Heip Memorial Session on MarineResearch Stations and InfrastructureMultidecadal abundance and phenology dynamics of zooplankton and fishlarvae in a shallow temparate bayTimo Arula, Mart Simm, Riina Klais, Marilyn Kalaus and Henn OjaveerEstonian Marine Institute, University of Tartutimo.arula@ut.eeThe current paper exploits zooplankton and ichthyoplankton datasets fromPärnu Bay (Gulf of Riga, Baltic Sea) and analyses long-term and seasonalpatterns in the dynamics of the dominating copepod and larval fish taxa for1957-2012. In addition to zooplankton and larval fish data (obtained at weeklysampling resolution), local and regional environmental and hydrographic dataseries were created to quantify changes in the biological component againsthydroclimate. Along with the generally warming climatic trend, timing of theseasonal peak abundances of copepods and fish larvae have advanced for1 and 3 weeks respectively over the last 56 years. However, their abundancedynamics does not exhibit uniform response to hydroclimate variables overtime. Compared to the mild winters, seasonal development of both copepodand larval fish was delayed for 3-4 weeks after cold winters with generallybetter seasonal match between them. After mild winters, relatively stablecopepod production in spring and early summer supported higher abundanceof larval fish. However, copepod abundance appeared to be higher after coldthan mild winters. Amongst others, these results allow to obtain further insightinto not only marine biodiversity changes over time, but also on the dynamicsof commercial fish populations, and account for climate and environmentalvariability into biodiversity and population models.- 99 -

The Professor Carlo Heip Memorial Session on MarineResearch Stations and InfrastructureResearch at European marine field stations unraveling patterns ofbiodiversity in benthic key speciesHerman Hummel, Sander WijnhovenRoyal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Korringaweg 7, 4401 NTYerseke, the Netherlandsherman.hummel@nioz.nlMarine waters are not restricted by national boundaries. This means that issuesregarding the marine realm have preferably to be studied and discussed atlarge, e.g. European, scale, yet, always taking into account the diversificationof larger units into smaller systems with their own characteristics. However,knowledge on the marine realm is strongly fragmented between disciplinesand nations and in time.During the last decades the European Network of Marine Research Institutesand Stations (MARS) has helped to overcome this fragmentation of knowledgeby initiating large-scale projects using harmonized methodologies. This kindof harmonization started with the BIOMARE and was followed in severalsubsequent actions as MarBEF, Biocombe, and EMBOS.In series of surveys, translocation and enclosure experiments in the field, andexposure experiments in the lab, carried out at a range of marine stationsalong the European coastline, the degree, variation, and impact of changesin genetic and ecophysiological diversity and performance of key-species(the clams Macoma balthica and mussels Mytilus spp) were measured duringtwo years in the Mediterranean, Atlantic and Baltic. In this presentation wewill show the overlaps and deviations in patterns of diversity at genetic andecophysiological level along the European coastline.All genetic markers used, have revealed 3 Mytilus taxa in Europe: M.galloprovincialis (in southern Europe), M. edulis (west Europe, Atlanticcoasts) and M. trossulus (Baltic, and northern Europe). The lowered geneticpolymorphism of mussel populations in the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea and theAzow Seas reflects the recent age of these areas in comparison with otherEuropean regions.For the clam Macoma balthica similarly two distinct genetic groups (northwestEuropean (Atlantic) populations and those in the Baltic), with a subgroup- 100 -

in southern France (Bay of Biscay), were found. The clams from the southernFrench Atlantic coast, i.e. living at the edge of their natural range, showed thelowest genetic diversity, coinciding with their higher sensitivity to disturbance.The distinct genetic groups in both the key species largely coincided with thedistribution of separate ecophysiological ecotypes. Particularly the respirationrates, and to a lesser extent the growth rates, can be linked to geneticmarkers. Clear patterns with latitude (North to South), temperature andsalinity gradients and among ecosystems (Baltic, Atlantic, Mediterranean)were found.The optimum performance of M. galloprovincialis was found around 25 ºC,for M. edulis around 20 ºC and for M. trossulus around 16 ºC (and at loweror higher temperatures the growth and respiration efficiency decrease).Specifically for mussels these data can indicate at which latitude a specificmussel group is expected to survive, or will disappear (i.e. to which extentthe distribution range will shift in response to Global Change).From the data we were able to calculate a northward range shifts of musselsand clams that is expected to continue with further warming at an averagespeed of approx. 100 km in 10 to 20 years. This may mean that the speciesM. edulis and M. balthica will disappear in about 50 to 100 years from nowfrom the Bay of Biscay with further climatic changes (i.e. with an ongoingincrease of T at similar rates of about 1.5 ºC per 40 years).- 101 -

The Professor Carlo Heip Memorial Session on MarineResearch Stations and InfrastructureSwedish marine stations within the MARS network and their role for marineresearch.Lena Kautsky 1 , Michael Klages 2 and Johan Wikner 3 .1Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre, Stockholm University, SE 106 91Stockholm2Sven Lovén Centre for Marine Sciences, Gothenburg University,3Umeå Marine Research Centre, Umeå University.In Sweden there are four marine research stations within the MARS networkdistributed along the coast and covering a wide range of coastal and opensea ecosystems, from almost fresh water habitats to fully marine conditions.The oldest station Kristineberg, founded in 1877 and Tjärnö founded in 1963,belong to Sven Lovén Centre for Marine Sciences, Gothenburg University.Both are situated on the Swedish west coast. Within the Baltic Sea the othertwo stations are found, i.e. the Askö Laboratory, founded 1961, and run byStockholm University Baltic Sea Centre is situated in the northern Balticproper and Umeå Marine Research Centre with its field station Norrbyn,established in 1985, belonging to Umeå University.All four research stations have been essential for the development byproviding resources for advancing our knowledge in marine science withfocus on the shallow coastal waters, their biology and ecology, how thesesystems are impacted by human activities, e.g. nutrient enrichment, pollutionby toxic compounds, overfishing, as well as the open sea science, largescale modelling and monitoring of environmental changes. The marineinfrastructure facilities at these stations, available both to researchersnationally and internationally, have been and will be crucial for the futuredevelopment in a wide range of research areas. We will present an overviewand set of examples from different research projects from each of thesefour marine stations. We will also present a new initiative to further developcollaboration between marine stations and other organisations to promotecoordination of infrastructures and data in Sweden in the climate andenvironment arena.- 102 -

The Professor Carlo Heip Memorial Session on MarineResearch Stations and InfrastructureSmartBay – Ireland’s test, demonstration and validation facilityJohn BreslinSmartBay Ireland Ltd. Parkmore West, Galway, Irelandjohn.breslin@smartbay.ieSmartBay - Irelands national test facility for Marine Technology is facilitatingthe development of innovative approaches to sensing, communication anddata management/visualisation technologies through sensor deployments ina real world marine environment. SmartBay comprises a suite of commerciallyavailable technology platforms including a network of buoys, sensorhardware and communication systems against which new technologiescan be validated. This presentation elaborates on how the functionalityrequirements of the SmartBay Data Platform were defined and details howsensor data acquisition, sensor middleware and data visualisation tools canbe integrated to develop an innovative, robust, flexible, foundational cyberinfrastructurewhich can quickly adapt to support new projects, sensors, inputdata streams, and users, providing numerous benefits to a diverse researchcommunity. The presentation focuses on how this cyber-infrastructureunderpins the marine sensing platforms through a detailed case study whichillustrates how the environmental data streams are collected, analysed andpresented to a diverse group of stakeholders. This presentation will alsodiscuss the status of the proposed power and data cable which SmartBayIreland will manage. The power and data cable will terminate in a subseamonitoring station which will host a suite of commercially available sensorsand will also have additional ports to trail innovative and novel sensors in asubmarine environment.- 103 -

The Professor Carlo Heip Memorial Session on MarineResearch Stations and InfrastructureResearch Vessel Training, Access and Sampling Opportunities for MarineBiologistsJohn Boyd, Pauhla McGraneGalway Mayo Institute of Technology, Ireland.smart@gmit.ieApplied training in biological sampling and data collection is essential to thedevelopment of emergent marine biologists. The Strategic Marine Alliancefor Research and Training (SMART) courses and modules are researchvessel based, developed collaboratively and supported by online digitalresources. SMART consortium members include the Marine Institute andhigher education institutes at the forefront of marine science research andteaching across the island of Ireland.Since its inception in 2011 SMART has delivered 43 research vessel-basedtraining programmes to 448 undergraduate and postgraduate students.Sampling opportunities on research vessels are offered through the TrainingThrough Research Surveys (TTRS) scheme which so far in 2013 hasextended to six research surveys on the Celtic Explorer with uptake fromnine graduate and postgraduate students.The majority of SMART modules and courses are underpinned by marinebiology topics. These include Science@Sea two day intensive CPDcourses, the Common Module in Multidisciplinary Offshore Operations, andthe accredited postgraduate module in Applied Marine Biological Samplingand Data Collection.A further planned event for 2013 is the SMART Data Access and FundingOpportunities Workshop for postgraduates to be hosted by the MarineInstitute from the 24 th to 25 th of October.- 104 -

The Professor Carlo Heip Memorial Session on MarineResearch Stations and InfrastructureINDEEP: International network for scientific investigations of deep-seaecosystemsRachel Boschen, Maria BakerInDEEP, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, EmpressDock, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK.Deep-sea habitats have historically been examined in isolation, but it hasbecome increasingly apparent that the largest biome on Earth must beconsidered in its entirety. The aim of the International Network for ScientificInvestigations of Deep-Sea Ecosystems (INDEEP) is to develop andsynthesise understanding of deep-sea global biodiversity and functioning andprovide a framework to bridge the gap between scientific results and societyto aid in the formation of sustainable management strategies. Following onfrom the 10 year Census of Marine Life programme, INDEEP is well intoits 3 rd year, and has secured funding for a further 3 years until December2016. Research efforts are coordinated across the globe through 5 WorkingGroups (WG): WG1) Taxonomy and evolution; WG2) Global biodiversity andbiogeography; WG3) Population connectivity; WG4) Ecosystem function;and WG5) Anthropogenic impact and social policy. The recent and plannedfuture outputs for each of these groups are briefly discussed and thedevelopment of a new project, the Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative (DOSI)is detailed. DOSI is a natural progression from INDEEP, expanding the visionof WG5. The aim of DOSI is to integrate science, technology, policy, law andeconomics to advise on ecosystem-based management of resource use inthe deep ocean and to develop strategies to maintain the integrity of deepoceanecosystems within and beyond national jurisdiction. Both INDEEP andDOSI are open networks and welcome the active participation of interestedscientists.- 105 -

The Professor Carlo Heip Memorial Session on MarineResearch Stations and InfrastructureWAMS: The World Association of Marine Stations. A Global Network of MarineStations and Institutes for the 21st CenturyMichael ThorndykeRoyal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Sven Lovén Centre for Marine Sciences,University of Gothenburg, Kristineberg, Fiskebäckskil 451 78, SwedenWith increasing attention being focused on climate change, capacity building,training, education and coordination of research strategies, the need for aglobal integrative network of marine stations has never been more acute.Under the auspices of UNESCO-IOC the existing regional networks of marinestations, including MARS, NAML, JAMBIO, TMN, POGO, PIMS, GOOS andothers have come together to act as a strategic force and voice for marinesciences at the international level.WAMS will facilitate a more effective and efficient use of global marineresearch infrastructure and scientific personnel to inform public bodies thathave responsibilities for ensuring the ecological sustainability of marineecosystems. In addition the Association will foster the use of marineorganisms to further our understanding of basic biological processes andtheir potential to adapt and survive predicted scenarios of climate change.An integrated programme of research, education, outreach and capacitybuilding for developing countries will be presented- 106 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyGrazing impact of zebra mussel in a shallow eutrophicated bay of the BalticSeaOganjan K., Lauringson V.University of Tartu, EstoniaEmail: katarina.oganjan@ut.eeThe zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) is a sessile suspension feederand considered to be an effective agent in pelagic-benthic coupling. Due to itshigh filtering capacity it can decrease phytoplankton biomass and cause largedeclines in overall water Chlorophyll a concentrations. Unfortunately, most ofthe studies on D. polymorpha have been held in freshwater communities andonly a few controversial experiments have been conducted to evaluate zebramussel effects in brackish coastal systems.The aim of this study is to examine grazing rates of an invasive bivalve D.polymorpha in connection to environmental factors in a shallow turbid bayof the Baltic Sea, which suffers from heavy anthropogenic eutrophication.Despite of the abundance and apparent ability of benthic suspension feedersto stabilize coastal ecosystems, data about the effects of this species onplanktonic communities in brackish areas are scattered and incomplete.Grazing rates of D. polymorpha were estimated in the Pärnu Bay duringthe ice-free period of April-November 2012 by quantifying the egestion anddefecation of total Chl a by individuals incubated on the funnel net allowingbiodeposits to gather to the collection tube below. The loss of Chl a duringthe gut passage was estimated in the separate experiment where musselswere incubated in 3L vessels. Environmental conditions like temperature,salinity, water Chl a content, water movement, suspended particulate matter(SPM), particulate inorganic (PIM) and organic matter (POM) concentrationswere measured during the experiments.Results suggest that filtration and biodeposition rates of D. polymorpha inthe Bay are related to the variability of certain environmental conditions.Therefore, environmental parameters should be taken into account whenthe impact of D. polymorpha is assessed based on feeding rate estimates.- 107 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyEpigenetic changes in response to hypoxia-marine medaka as a modelSimon Y. Wang, Karen Y.T. Lau, Anna C.K. Tse, Alice S.T. Wong and RudolfS.S. WuHong Kong University, ChinaEmail: bioywang@hku.hkOBJECTIVES :Hypoxia has been shown to be an endocrine disruptorand can impair reproduction and affect development of fish and highervertebrates. Recent studies showed that many endocrine disruptors mayalso cause transgenerational effects. However, whether, and if so, in whatway hypoxia can lead to trans-generational effects in vertebrates remainunknown. Using the marine medaka Oryzias melastigma as a study model,this study aims to test the hypothesis that exposure to hypoxia can causetransgenerational effects in fish, and we further hypothesize that the observedtrans-generational effects is caused by epigenetic alterations, including DNAmethylation and histone modifications.METHODS : Global genomic DNA methylation was investigated by colometricassay, and mRNA expression levels were measured by real-time quantitativePCR. Hormone levels were quantified by ELISA assay. Specific promotermethylation status was validated by high resolution melting analysis, followedby bisulfite sequencing.RESULTS :Delayed hatching, retardation of embryonic development, reducedheartbeat rate, declined fertilization success, and increased malformationswere observed in fish exposed to hypoxia (1.5±0.4 mg/L) for 10 days.Genes related to hypoxia responsive pathways, epigenetic modulation,steroidogenesis and immune response, were studied in F0 adults, F1 andF2 generations at their embryonic stages. Some transgenerational effectswere reflected by perturbed gene expressions and global genomic DNAhypomethylation in F2 embryos.CONCLUSIONS :The epigenetic changes revealed in the present studymay potentially serve as biomarkers for transgenerational effects resultingfrom environmental stress in marine, and may also shed light on epigenomicresponses to hypoxia in higher vertebrates, including humans.- 108 -

Theme: General Marine BiologySimple behaviour can have critical consequences: interactions betweeninvasive and indigenous mussels.McQuaid CD 1 , Zardi GI 2 , Nicastro KR 21Dept of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, SouthAfrica2CCMAR-CIMAR Laborato´ rio Associado, Universidade do Algarve, Faro,Portugalc.mcquaid@ru.ac.zaGenerally we assume that benthic species abundances are determinedprimarily by recruitment, competition and predation, with little attention beinggiven to the effects of behaviour. In South Africa, the most abundant invasivespecies, with the strongest community effects is the Mediterranean mussel,Mytilus galloprovincialis. On the west coast of the country, this aggressiveinvader dominates the entire part of the shore inhabited by mussels whileon the south coast the lower mussel zone is occupied by the indigenousPerna perna, the two overlapping in the mid-mussel zone. This partial habitatsegregation is driven by very complex interactions of physical and biologicaleffects and here we investigated the importance of behaviour. Perna isintolerant of anaerobic respiration and exhibits gaping of its shells whenexposed to air while Mytilus does not gape. We found that evaporative coolingduring gaping does not affect the body temperature of individual mussels,but has strong effects on humidity and temperatures above aggregationsof Perna. Under field conditions, aggregations of Perna exhibit lower bodytemperatures and lower rates of mortality than solitary individuals or Mytilusalone or aggregated. Very simple individual behaviour improves fitness at thegroup level, but has consequences in terms of desiccation that contribute tohabitat segregation between an indigenous and invasive habitat engineers.- 109 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyA tale of two urchins: the population genetics of two closely-related species,Heliocidaris erythrogramma and H. tuberculata, with contrasting PLD’sMailie Gall, Neville Barrett, Maria Byrne, Graham Edgar & Sebastian P. HolmesUniversity of Western Sydney, AustraliaEmail: m.gall@uws.edu.auThe time spent by larvae in the water-column before they recruit, planktoniclarval duration (PLD), is often considered as a predictor for a speciesdispersal capacity. Accordingly, populations of species with a long PLDshould be more connected than populations for species with a short PLDat the same spatial scales. However, other factors (e.g. currents) can affectand/or override any life history considerations. In this study, the geneticstructure (connectivity) of populations of two closely related urchins,Heliocidaris erythrogramma and H. tuberculata, with very different PLD’s (4days vs. 30 days, respectively) is investigated. Using microsatellite markers,examination of populations of H. erythrogramma extending from New SouthWales (NSW) to Tasmania and along the coast to South Australia, revealstrong regional divisions corresponding to broad scale oceanographicprocesses, with little evidence of any fine scale structure. Examination ofpopulations of H. tuberculata along the NSW coast across to the KermadecIslands, New Zealand reveal no evidence of phylogenetic (CO1) and/orpopulation (microsatellites) divergence. Despite producing larvae with verydifferent PLD’s, where populations for both species are in sympatry (NSWcoast) there is no evidence of any population substructure within this region.These results suggest that a short PLD doesn’t hinder dispersal wherehabitat is continuous and instead currents are driving broad-scale patterns.Correspondingly, for species with a long PLD, currents play a fundamentalrole in maintaining gene flow across considerable spatial scales.- 110 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyExpert knowledge informs and refines Ecological Risk Assessment for theEffects of Fishing for cetacean speciesSusie Brown, Dave Reid and Emer RoganUniversity College Cork, IrelandEmail: s.brown@ucc.ieProductivity Susceptibility Analysis (PSA) is a key stage in Ecological RiskAssessment for the Effects of Fishing (ERAEF) (Hobday et al 2011). In aspecies context PSA scores a species’ inherent ability to withstand fishingpressure (productivity) and the likelihood of encountering that pressure(susceptibility). The “Susceptibility” element of the analysis has fourcomponents, where scores are derived for each species based on Availability,Encounterability, Selectivity and Post Capture Mortality. Availability andEncounterability score the likelihood of a species encountering a fishingactivity. Selectivity is the potential of a gear to capture and retain species.Post Capture Mortality scores the likelihood that an animal be released alivefrom a gear and survives.As part of a project conducting ERAEF Assessments for fisheries in Irishwaters, we adapted an existing PSA methodology to enable the rapidscreening of risk to cetacean species from different fisheries operating in thenorth east Atlantic. The adaptation included defining productivity attributesand scoring bins for cetaceans and convening an expert panel to defineselectivity scores for different cetacean species and gear types.We present the results of the rapid screening PSA and demonstrate how theapproach can be used to assess the risk posed by different fisheries usinglimited information on the distribution of species and fishing effort. We alsodiscuss how the output from the rapid screening assessment can be used toinform additional, more detailed spatially and temporally explicit assessmentof fisheries potentially posing a risk, and the species they may impact.- 111 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyTowards a better understanding of factors determining body size spectra inmarine ecosystemT. Yamanaka, C.L.J. FridSchool of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, NicholsonBuilding, Brownlow Street, Liverpool, L69 3GP, UK.Email: T.Yamanaka@liv.ac.ukThe body size distribution of individuals in an ecological community isaffected by species extinction/invasion, human exploitation, predation andenvironmental change. A body of research has developed considering thepotential for size spectra to incorporate elements of taxonomy to produceuniversal indicators of ecosystem status.Two field experiments tested whether body size of macrofauna andmeiofauna varied between sites with respect to sediment particle size andlevel of organic enrichment. At New Brighton (NW England) sea defencegroynes act as sediment traps, altering sediment granulometry of the shoreof over short distances. Macrofaunal and meiofaunal samples from acrossthis beach tested if body size distribution varied with particle size, whileorganic enrichment level was altered by the experimental addition of organicmatter to the sediment.Abundance and biomass significantly decreased with increasing particle size,and MDS ordination showed that the species composition differed betweenstations. The number and the position of the peaks of body size distributionswere altered with increasing particle size. Organic enrichment also altered thespecies composition, abundance of macrofauna and meiofauna significantly,and different enrichment levels affected the body size of the fauna.These findings have implications for ecosystem functioning of the benthiccommunity as the change in body size of macrofauna and meiofauna mayhave impacts on the prey-predator relationship, and the degree of biologicallymediated nutrient cycling.- 112 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyA regional and European scale evaluation of the biodiversity of maerl beds inEuropeJacques GRALL, Vincent LEGARREC, Michel LE DUFFObservatoire séries Faune-Flore, UMS313-CNRS, Institut UniversitaireEuropéen de la Mer, place Copernic, 29280 Plouzané Brittany FranceEmail: jgrall@univ-brest.frAlthough knowledge of maerl beds biodiversity has increased remarkably inthe past decade, benthic diversity of this fragile and functionally importanthabitat has been mainly investigated at small scales only (i.e. at one ora group of stations), and yet no attempt had been made to examine it atregional scale or even at continental scale.We present here a first regional scale account of the species diversity ofthe macro - and megabenthic fauna of the French Atlantic maerl beds. It isbased on an analysis of published and unpublished species-level data setsof various short and long term monitoring programs (Mast III, Rebent, Natura2000, MPA’s) led in Brittany along the past 15 years, together encompassingthe entire ecoregion, for a total of over 900 grab samples. Results give a totalof 1,204 species, including 295 Annelida, 290 Arthropoda, 207 Mollusca, 35Echinodermata, and 377 species of other phyla.We also compute gross estimates of the expected species numbers of themain phyla at a regional scale. Extrapolated to the entire fauna and studyarea, we estimate that 1,580 - 1,810 macro- and megabenthic speciesare expected to occur in maerl beds of Brittany. These numbers show thegreat macrobenthic diversity of maerl beds compared to the total numberof macrobenthic species previously estimated for the area (3000 to 4000),which may thus gather up to 45-60% of the regional benthic diversity. Usingdata from the Pan European BIOMAERL project, we then show few variationsof diversity within the Atlantic, while Mediterranean maerl beds would gathermuch higher number of species.Finally, we show how these results can be used by future investigationsfor evaluating the effects of anthropogenic activities (fishing, extraction)or climate change on maerl beds as well as on the benthic environment ingeneral.- 113 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyContribution of the Cape stumpnose (Rhabdosargus holubi) to trophicconnectivity between adjacent aquatic habitats in South AfricaCarassou L 1,2 , Whitfield AK 1 , Richoux NB 11South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), Private Bag 1015,Grahamstown 6140, South Africa2Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, PO Box 94,Grahamstown 6140, South AfricaEmail: L.Carassou@ru.ac.zaThe understanding of linkages between adjacent habitats provides foundationfor effective management of ecological processes in aquatic systems.This study aims at elucidating the role of Rhabdosargus holubi (Sparidae,Perciformes) as a vector of trophic connectivity between freshwater,estuarine and marine coastal habitats associated with the Kowie system,Eastern Cape, South Africa. A total of 230 fish ranging between 6.4 and38.9 cm standard length were collected seasonally at seven sites distributedbetween the nearshore marine zone and river. Stomach content analysesprovided a qualitative list of prey consumed by fish of different sizes in thedifferent habitats and seasons on a short time scale. These analyses weresupplemented by stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) and fatty acid compositionin the fish muscles tissues, which provided complementary information onthe origin of prey and the spatial and temporal variability in prey utilization onlonger time scales. Stomach contents composition, stable isotopes and fattyacids signatures were all significantly related with fish size and habitat. Fishwere therefore grouped by size, and the similarity in their diet analyzed as afunction of habitat and isotopic and fatty acid compositions of food sources.Results obtained emphasize the importance of allochthony in the studiedsystem, notably the dependence of the study species on food sources fromaquatic habitats adjacent to the habitats of capture. For example, the isotopicand fatty acids composition characterizing juveniles collected in the estuaryreflected the importance of freshwater distinctive food sources. Similarly,the isotopic and fatty signatures characterizing small adults collected inthe marine coastal habitat reflected the importance of estuarine distinctivefood sources, even though their immediate diets reflected non-estuarineorganisms from the sea.- 114 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyComparison of sediment grain size techniques to explain variation inmacrobenthic coastal communities: A short time series example.James Forde and Robert KennedyRyan Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.jamescforde@hotmail.comSediment particle size analysis (PSA) is routinely used to support benthicmacrofaunal community distribution data in habitat mapping and EcologicalStatus (ES) assessment. Time series benthic macrofaunal and PSA sampleswere collected annually from five stations over a three year period. PSAsamples were processed by two common methods: wet and dry sievingonly and a combination of laser particle sizing and wet and dry sieving, todetermine which PSA technique has the greater power to explain spatial andtemporal variability in macrofaunal communities. The use of combined laserparticle sizing and wet and dry sieving explained significantly more variationin macrofaunal multivariate structure than wet sieving alone. Employing theoptimal PSA method and sampling strategy will improve benthic monitoring.- 115 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyDiversity of protozoa (with emphasis on Amoebozoa) from deep-sea sedimentsamples collected by two expeditions to Atlantic Ocean and the Sea of JapanAlexander KudryavtsevDepartment of Invertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Soil Science, St-Petersburg State University, Universitetskaja nab. 7/9 199034 St-Petersburg,RussiaE-mail: a.kudryavtsev@bio.spbu.ruLiving Amoebozoa, like some other heterotrophic protists, can be isolatedfrom the deep-sea sediment samples, however our knowledge of theirdiversity in these habitats is very limited compared to other protistan groups.I attempted to fill this gap during two expeditions focused on the deep-seabiodiversity: DIVA3 (RV Meteor cruise 79/1, July-August 2009) to the WesternAtlantic, and SoJaBio (RV Akademik Lavrentyev cruise, August 2010) tothe Sea of Japan. During both expeditions living, cultivable amoebae andheterotrophic flagellates could be isolated from the depths of 260 to ca. 5200meters (in Atlantic Ocean) and ca. 500 to 3600 meters (in the Sea of Japan).A total of ten amoebae morphospecies belonging to the families Vannellidae,Paramoebidae, Vexilliferidae and Cochliopodiidae were isolated from theAtlantic Ocean. Based on morphology, ultrastructure and gene sequencedata, they all can be recognized as new species; some of them represent new,deeply-branching, genera of amoebae. Five species were found in the Seaof Japan, one of them could be unambiguously identified as Neoparamoebaaestuarina (Page, 1970), while others are not assignable to any of the higherorder taxa, and some represent the novel phylogenetic lineages of amoebae,like recently described Squamamoeba japonica Kudryavtsev et Pawlowski,2013. By contrast, a number of strains of heterotrophic flagellates isolatedfrom the Sea of Japan mostly represented already known species of thegenera Cafeteria, Caecitellus, Rhynchomonas and Massisteria, and weremorphologically and genetically identical to the presviously studied strainsfrom deep-sea and shallow habitats.Supported by RFBR grant 12-04-33229, and a grant from St-PetersburgState University.- 116 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyPutting the species back into community analysisPaul SomerfieldPlymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, Plymouth PL13DH, UnitedKingdompjso@pml.ac.ukFor decades multivariate analysis has been recognised as being appropriatefor the analysis and description of complex ecological datasets, such as areroutinely generated in studies of biota along gradients in time or space. Themain focus of analyses tends to be the description and analysis of patternsamong samples and groups of samples. Early applications of multivariateanalyses to ecological data also recognised the importance of, and gaveequal weight to, understanding how variables (species or taxa, in bioticdatasets) varied among samples and groups of samples, but such analyseshave inherent difficulties. Among these are the facts that species do notvary independently of each other, that responses of species to gradientsmay not be monotonic, that there are generally many more species thansamples, that abundances vary widely within and among species, that somespecies are rare. Although some methods are routinely applied to explorespecies responses across and among samples to environmental gradients,few explicitly recognise that species do not vary independently. Within avery widely-used framework for the nonparametric multivariate analysisof ecological data I will demonstrate how Similarity Profiles (SIMPROF)analysis and other approaches may be combined to analyse associationsamong species, and to visualize those relationships. Type 2 SIMPROFdetermines whether observed associations could have arisen by chance.Type 3 SIMPROF detects statistically distinct subsets of species whichrespond to gradients in a coherent manner. How different groups respond isvisualised using component line plots (coherent curves). I will illustrate themethod using a range of datasets and show how the method discriminatesgroups of species which respond differently to a single gradient, or respondcoherently to different environmental or anthropogenic pressure gradients.I will demonstrate how these approaches extend naturally to analyses ofother types of multivariate data where the identification of coherent groupsof variables is of interest.- 117 -

European Marine Biology SymposiumPoster PresentationsAugust 19-23, 2013No. Title First Name Last Name Multiple Names Organisation Abstract Title Abstract Track1 Mr. Antonio Agüera Institute for Marine Resources & Ecosystem Studies Prey selection and functional response of Asterias ruben 1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function(IMARES)2 Dr. Dhia Al-Bader Kuwait University Influence of Turbidity on the Seasonal Diversity of Planktonic Cyanobacteria in the Shallow Coastal Waters of Kuwaitassessed Using Culture Independent Techniques1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function3 Dr. Dhia Al-Bader Kuwait University Intertidal Seagrass Halodule uninervis : Factors Controlling itsDensity, Biomass, and shoot length.4 Dr. Dhia Al-Bader Kuwait University Subsurface associations of Acaryochloris-relatedpicocyanobacteria with oil-utilizing bacteria in the ArabianGulf water body: promising consortia in oil sedimentbioremediation.5 Dr. Louise Allcock Sorcha Cronin-O’Reilly, FelimO’Toole, Mark P.JohnsonNational University of Ireland Galway Fauna of deep-sea canyon systems on the Irish AtlanticMargin: preliminary results of cruise CE13006 aboard RVCeltic Explorer6 Dr. Louise Allcock and co-authors National University of Ireland Galway DNA barcoding of Graneledone and Thaumeledone(Cephalopoda: Octopodidae) species worldwide7 Dr. Nadezhda Berezina Zoological Institute of the Russian academy ofSciences8 Ms. Olga Bratova A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and EvolutionRASLife of estuarine littoral community after introductions newamphipod species (Neva River estuary, north-eastern BalticSea)Fauna associated with Salmacis bicolor (Echinoidea,Temnopleuridae) at Anthoi archipelago, Vietnam.5. Mapping habitats and determining ecologicalstatus7. Biodiscovery and bioresources1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function4. Evolution, systematics and developmentalbiology1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function9 Ms. Ruth Calder-Potts Plymouth Marine Laboratory Linking physiological costs to ecological function: Effects ofhypoxia and density on the brittlestar Amphiura filiformis(O.F. Müller)10 Dr. Lucrezia Cilenti National Research Council THE DECAPOD CRUSTACEANS IN VARANO LAGOON (SOUTHITALY): COMPOSITION AND DISTRIBUTION11 Dr. Stefanie Dekeyzer Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) Supporting the marine biodiversity and ecosystemfunctioning research community (LifeWatch)12 Dr. Louise Firth National University of Ireland Galway Artificial coastal defences: enhancing biodiversity usingsensitive design1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function13 Dr. Louise Firth National University of Ireland Galway Incidence of trematode infection in Patella spp. 8. General Marine Biology14 Mr. Luca Giaccaglia Ecotechsystems Ltd Influence of chemical contamination on biodiversity of 1. Biodiversity and ecosystem functionbenthic marine bacteria15 Dr. Luca Giaccaglia Ecotechsystems Ltd Synergistic effects of sodium hypochlorite and temperature on sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus) gametes6. Sustainable management of the ocean16 Dr. Mateja Grego National Institute of Biology Fish farming creates a 13C depleted basis of the benthic foodweb and alters diatom uptake by meiofauna1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function- 118 -

17 Dr. Svenja Heesch Margaret Rae, FabioRindi, Mark Johnson &Deniz TasdemirNational University of Ireland Galway Macroalgal biodiversity in the Beaufort Marine BiodiscoveryProject1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function18 Dr. Chi-Hsin Hsu National Sun Yat-sen University Complete Mitochondrial DNA Sequence Analyses of the SoftCoral, Paraminabea acronocephala, from Taiwan.1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function19 Prof. Mark Johnson Niall McGinty NUI Galway Modelling beta diversity of benthic assemblages in thenortheast Atlantic20 Ms. Chloe Kinsella University College Dublin The relationship between stormwater pollution and rockyshore assemblages21 Dr. Antony Knights NUIG A novel approach for predicting larval dispersal usinghydrodynamic models: an alternative to bio-physical models1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function22 Dr. Antony Knights NUI Galway Identifying common pressure pathways from a complexnetwork of human activities to support ecosystem-basedmanagement23 Dr. Velda Lauringson University of Tartu Relative importance of invasive zebra mussels and pelagicgrazers in consuming phytoplankton production in a turbidbay24 Dr. Grace McCormack NUI Galway Biodiversity associated with the marine sponges using nextgeneration sequencing and traditional approaches.6. Sustainable management of the ocean1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function25 Dr. Grace McCormack NUI Galway Systematics & evolution in the marine Haplosclerida 4. Evolution, systematics and developmentalbiology26 Ms. Dorothee Moll Thuenen Institute Impact of storm induced hydrodynamics on egg mortality ofspring spawning herring in the Western Baltic Sea1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function27 Dr. Stella Mudrak-CegiołkaUniversity of Gdańsk Mercury in zooplankton in the nearshore zone of the Gulf ofGdańsk (Southern Baltic)1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function28 Dr. Artemis Nicolaidou Univerrsity of Athens Benthic diversity in Messolonghi Lagoon, Greece 1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function29 Dr. Emine Şükran Okudan Aslan Akdeniz University Threatened Macroalgae and Phanerogam Species in 1. Biodiversity and ecosystem functionMediterranean Coast of Turkey30 Ms. Helen Orav-Kotta Estonian Marine Institute, University of Tartu Experimental evidence suggests a general decline of bivalves 1. Biodiversity and ecosystem functiondue to the predation of the introduced mud crabRhithropanopeus harrisii Gould (Crustacea, Decapoda) in thebrackish Baltic Sea31 Mr. Andrew Richardson Infaunal communities in patches of Mytilus edulis on UK shores: A functional approach?1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function3233 Dr. Gauthier Schaal Université de Bretagne Occidentale Isotopic gradients (δ13C, δ15N) along the continental margin:freshwater inputs, seasonality and metabolic effects1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function34 Ms. Leen Vandepitte Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) Marine biogeographic data in EurOBIS: assessing their quality,completeness and fitness for use35 Ms. Leen Vandepitte Flanders Marine Institute The European Ocean Biogeographic Information System(EurOBIS) and its relation with international data systems1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function36 Ms. Joanna Wilson University of Stirling Investigating the genetic origin of and extent of hybridisationin Mytilus spp in Scottish mussel farming using SNPs and highthroughputRAD sequencing1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function- 119 -

37 Mr. Wenzhe XU City University of Hong Kong Influence of macrobenthos on meiobenthic assemblages inshallow, subtidal sediments at Tai Tam Bay, Hong Kong1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function38 Ms. Anna-Karin Almén Åbo Akademi University Effects of ocean acidification on copepod reproduction andsize39 Ms. Marie Collard Université Libre de Bruxelles Acid-base status of Antarctic sea urchins and theirvulnerability facing ocean acidification40 Ms. Marie Collard Université Libre de Bruxelles Impact of ocean acidification on coral reefs and mangrovessea cucumbers41 Prof. Jason Hall-Spencer Plymouth University European project on Mediterranean Sea Acidification in achanging climate2. Ocean acidification and biodiversity2. Ocean acidification and biodiversity2. Ocean acidification and biodiversity2. Ocean acidification and biodiversity42 Prof. Jason Hall-Spencer Plymouth University Benthic foraminifera along shallow water CO2 gradients 2. Ocean acidification and biodiversity43 Prof. Jason Hall-Spencer Plymouth University Macroalgae of coastal rocky communities offer a robustindicator for the ecological assessment of oligotrophicMediterranean shores44 Dr. Julia Sigwart Queen's University Belfast Living fossils (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) may do just fine inan acidified ocean45 Ms. Laura Bush Bangor University Decadal scale change in Macroalgae within the UnitedKingdom46 Ms. Carina Maria Gsottbauer Queen's University Belfast Scaling as a tool to measure the impact of a warming oceanon the marine gastropod Buccinum undatum5. Mapping habitats and determining ecologicalstatus2. Ocean acidification and biodiversity3. Climate change3. Climate change47 Ms. Kathryn Hughes NUIG Chapter 3: Spatially resolved analysis of Atlantic mackerel(Scomber scombrus) distribution using international catchdata: Fishery, environment and management effects3. Climate change48 Dr. Katy Nicastro CCMAR – CIMAR Laboratório Associado Trailing edge contraction associated with recent warmingtrends threatens a distinct genetic lineage in the seaweedFucus vesiculosus49 Mr. Benjamin Weigel Åbo Akademi University What drives changes in zoobenthic communities? Analysis oftemporal trends and environmental factors behindprogression patterns of benthic Fauna3. Climate change3. Climate change50 Mr. Viktoras Didziulis The University of Reading Master Data Management and User Services of the Catalogueof Life51 Dr. Lesya Garlitska P.P.Shirshov Institute of Oceanology RAS Cryptic diversity of a ‘cosmopolitan‘ harpacticoid copepod:the “meiofauna paradox” remains52 Dr. Thomas Kunze The University of Reading ProtoGSD in the Catalogue of Life – a case study on Molluscaand Platyhelminthes4. Evolution, systematics and developmentalbiology4. Evolution, systematics and developmentalbiology4. Evolution, systematics and developmentalbiology53 Dr. Katja Peijnenburg Naturalis Biodiversity Center High evolutionary potential of marine zooplankton 4. Evolution, systematics and developmentalbiology54 Dr. Yuri Roskov The University of Reading Overview of marine taxa suppliers in the Catalogue of Life 4. Evolution, systematics and developmentalbiology55 Dr. Ewa Sokołowska Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy ofSciencesThe reproductive cycle of the round goby, Neogobiusmelanostomus: histological patterns of oogenesis andspermatogenesis4. Evolution, systematics and developmentalbiology56 Ms. Ulrika Björkman Natural Heritage Services (Finland) Habitat mapping using LiDAR 5. Mapping habitats and determining ecologicalstatus57 Ms. Marta Bolgan Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology Does the Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) rely on sound tocommunicate? First evidence of acoustic communication inArctic char.5. Mapping habitats and determining ecologicalstatus- 120 -

58 Dr. Bastiaan Boom Bastiaan Johannes University of Edinburgh Fish4Knowledge – Long-term analysis of undersea videofootage to monitor coral reef fish populations5. Mapping habitats and determining ecologicalstatus59 Dr. Volkan Demir İstanbul University Institute of Marine Sciences andManagementUsing GIS Technologies to Asses Human Impacts onMacroalgae and Phanerogams in Fethiye Bay (Muğla-Turkey)5. Mapping habitats and determining ecologicalstatus60 Ms. Amy Lusher Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology The first incidence of small synthetic particles identified in theIrish marine environment61 Ms. Bryony Pearce Univeristy of Plymouth High Resolution, Time-Series Acoustic Surveys IdentifyEcological Benefits of Windfarm Developments5. Mapping habitats and determining ecologicalstatus5. Mapping habitats and determining ecologicalstatus62 Ms. Paula Andrea Zapata Ramírez Università Politecnica delle Marche CORALLIGENOUS HABITAT MAPPING USING MULTIBEAMSONAR DATA AND BENTHIC TERRAIN MODEL5. Mapping habitats and determining ecologicalstatus63 Ms. Eva Aylagas AZTI-Tecnalia Genomic resources of the AZTI´s Marine Biotic Index species:an endeavor in facilitating monitoring and assessment inmarine waters64 Ms. Cass Bromley Queen's University, Belfast DEVELOPING SCIENCE-BASED MANAGEMENT STRATEGIESFOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND COMMERCIALSUSTAINABILITY OF NATIVE OYSTERS65 Mr. Lawrence Eagling Queens University Belfast Developing best practice for Ostrea edulis fisheriesproduction in Loch Ryan66 Dr. Adele Fabbrocini National Council of Researches Towards the standardization of an innovative tool for themarine quality evaluation: integrate assessment of motility inseabream cryopreserved semen6. Sustainable management of the ocean6. Sustainable management of the ocean6. Sustainable management of the ocean6. Sustainable management of the ocean67 Ms. BarbroTaraldsetHaugland CEFAS, UiB, IRIS, NIVA FAUNAL RECOLONIZATION OF SUBMARINE MINE TAILINGS:an intertidal experiment to investigate the influence ofsediment organic carbon content68 Ms. Laura Hinchliff Queen's University of Belfast The velvet swimming crab (Necora puber) fishery in NorthernIreland: a study of populations and welfare to enhancesustainability6. Sustainable management of the ocean6. Sustainable management of the ocean69 Mr. James Keating Galway-Mayo IT Otolith Shape analysis 6. Sustainable management of the ocean70 Dr. Paola La Valle ISPRA SHIP DETECTION USING SAR DATA TO MONITOR BOATANCHORING PRESSURE ON POSIDONIA OCEANICAMEADOWS71 Ms. Alexandra Leeper University Of Plymouth Tools available for Integrated Coastal Zone Management inthe United Kingdom that enhance ecological value in areasvulnerable to coastal flood risk: A Review and synthesis6. Sustainable management of the ocean6. Sustainable management of the ocean72 Mr. Gary McCoy NUI Galway Monitoring a toxic bloom of Alexandrium minutum in theNorth Channel of Cork Harbour using a newly developedmicroarray and multiplex SPR sensor chip6. Sustainable management of the ocean73 Mr. Colin Hannon Galway Mayo Institute of Technology Developing Bioresources in European Aquaculture:Optimising Culture Conditions for Ulvella lens.74 Dr. Martina Milanese Studio Associato Gaia snc SPECIAL - Sponge Cells and Enzymes for InnovativeAppLications75 Ms. Ana Azevedo University of Aveiro Zosteraceae seagrasses modelling: state of the art andmilestones7. Biodiscovery and bioresources7. Biodiscovery and bioresources8. General Marine Biology- 121 -

76 Dr. Katrin Bohn University of Southampton Juvenile mortality, not larval habitat choice determines thenon-random distribution of the non-native gastropodCrepidula fornicata in the intertidal zone8. General Marine Biology77 Ms. Julia Calderwood Queen's University Belfast Effects of transportation stress on the physiological conditionof Mytilus edulis and subsequent considerations for thebenthic cultivation industry8. General Marine Biology78 Dr. Michelle Cronin University College Cork Size and seasonal influences on the foraging range of femalegrey seals in the northeast Atlantic79 Dr. Jose M. Fariñas-Franco Queen's University Belfast Variability in gametogenesis and recruitment in sympatricpopulations of the horse mussel Modiolus modiolus followinganthropogenic impact8. General Marine Biology8. General Marine Biology80 Dr. Valentina Lauria NUI Galway Estimating habitat, growth, residency and survival of DublinBay Prawn (Nephrops norvegicus) from habitat mapping andmark-recapture experiments81 Mr. Steven Newstead Bangor Univeristy Induced larval settlement and restoration attempts of thebiogenic reef forming species Sabellaria alveolata8. General Marine Biology8. General Marine Biology82 Dr. Sanda Skejic Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries Long-term observations of phytoplankton biomass andthermohaline properties in the Mali Ston Bay (Adriatic Sea)8. General Marine Biology83Dr. Hege Vestheim Andre Antunes andStein KaartvedtKing Abdullah University of Science and Technology Faunal diversity above and along deep sea brines in the RedSea9. Special Theme: Hydrothermal vents andmining84 Ms. Gabriela Carvalho Universidade de São Paulo85 Mr. Jack O'Carroll NUI GalwayPatterns of subtidal benthic assemblage's distribution oncontinental shelf Islands of southeastern Brazil Ecoregion.5. Mapping habitats and determining ecologicalstatusEffect of a marine current turbine on the epifaunalcommunities of tide swept boulders 8 General Marine Biology- 122 -

Poster Abstracts- 123 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 1Prey selection and functional response of Asterias rubens (L.) preying onMytilus edulis (L.)Agüera, A. and Brouwer, F.Institute for Marine Resources & Ecosystem Studies (IMARES)Email: antonio.aguera@wur.nlThe capacity of a predator to remove prey depends of prey density. Whenprey density decrease predators have to increase the time searching for prey.As so, predation rate decreases while predation energy costs increases.Predators exhibit behavioural responses to counteract the costs of preyingat lower densities. Those responses may involve, among others, an increasein prey selectivity. We studied Asterias rubens (L.) feeding behaviour whilepreying on different densities of Mytilus edulis (L.). A. rubens specimenswere exposed to mussel seed densities between 100 g/m2 and 10000 g/m2 during 5 days. Feeding rate and prey size were recorded daily. Videorecording of mesocosm experiments were used to estimate searching andprey handling time. Asterias rubens predation rate when preying on M. edulisfollow a Hollings type II functional response. The number of mussels preyedby day was significantly lower when prey density was below 1000 g/m2.However, A. rubens selected bigger mussels when density was below 1000g/m2. Although underlying mechanisms are still unclear, we conclude thatA. rubens compensate the necessity of increasing the time searching forprey, by efficiently finding more profitable prey. That allows individuals ofA. rubens, generally considered an opportunistic predator, to increase therange of prey densities where it is still competitive.- 124 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 2Influence of Turbidity on the Seasonal Diversity of Planktonic Cyanobacteriain the Shallow Coastal Waters of Kuwait assessed Using Culture IndependentTechniquesDhia Al-Bader*,RihabRayan, Huda Mahmood, Redha Al-Hasan, LekshmyBobby, and Mohammad Eliyas Address: Dept. Biol. Sc., Kuwait University,KuwaitEmail: dhiaalbader@yahoo.comThe shallow warm coastal water of Kuwait with its rich nutrient contentand low N/P ratio is a suitable habitat for diverse planktonic cyanobacteria.However, it is expected that turbidity plays a large role in determining thestrains of planktonic cyanobacteria present in different seasons. To studythe effect of turbidity on phytoplankton diversity two locations were selected;these are Subiyah and Khiran, these locations differ mainly in the level ofturbidity which is ten fold higher in the former. The diversity of planktoniccyanobacteria increased with increased turbidity, with the majority ofplanktonic cyanobacteria in turbid waters being filamentous Oscillatoriales.On the other hand, prokaryotic picophytoplankton ranged between 25-100% of total prokaryotic phytoplankton, dominating with the increase in watertemperature (reaching 34 ◦C) and decrease with the increase of turbidity.Synechococcus sp. clade VIII dominated, most of which were clone affiliatesto the coastal euryhaline Snechococcus sp. WH8101.- 125 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 5Fauna of deep-sea canyon systems on the Irish Atlantic Margin: preliminaryresults of cruise CE13006 aboard RV Celtic ExplorerLouise Allcock, Sorcha Cronin-O’Reilly, Felim O’Toole, Mark P. JohnsonNational University of Ireland GalwayEmail: louise.allcock@gmail.comWe report on preliminary faunal results from cruise CE13006 aboard RVCeltic Explorer to two canyon systems on the Celtic Margin. The first canyonsystem is north of the Porcupine Seabight and descens from the continentalshelf to the Rockall Trough at about 3,000 m depth. The second is theWhittard Canyon, at 5,000 m. We explored both canyons with a deep-waterROV rated to 3,000 m, recording high-definition video footage of each dive,but also collecting fauna with manipulator arms and with a slurp sampler.We also sampled with a box core at a range of locations throughout thecanyons, sieving the contents for infauna. Both canyons have cold-watercoral abundant on steep sides at shallower depths and both have verticalwalls at several locations.- 126 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 7Life of estuarine littoral community after introductions new amphipod species(Neva River estuary, north-eastern Baltic Sea)Nadezhda A. Berezina Zoological Institute RAS, St. Petersburg, RussiaEmail: na-berezina@rambler.ru; nber@zin.ruAnthropogenic mediated factors and global warming have facilitatedthe rapid dispersal of malacostracan crustaceans (9 amphipod species,4 mysids, one isopod and two decapods in Russian waters) from Ponto-Caspian-Mediterranean and other basins to the Baltic Sea during last 100years. Basing on last decade observations in the coastal areas of the NevaRiver estuary (north-eastern Baltic Sea) I studied distribution of newcomers(amphipod crustaceans), trophic links and interactions with other and alsoevaluate their significance and possible shifts in community structure afterinvaders establishment. Fast-growing filamentous macroalgae which acommon feature in study estuary present an important shelter and favoritefood for amphipods in summer; but hypoxia and H2S events during thealgae decomposition led to mass mortality of benthic invertebrates. Newlyestablished amphipods are able to survive and dominate in such conditionsoccurring keystone taxa in community and serving as important links inmarine food webs. Microscopic analysis of the gut contents and experimentalconsumption rate measures in amphipods Pontogammarus robustoides,Gmelinoides fasciatus, Gammarus tigrinus) found distinct size-dependentdifferentiation in food preferences. Results indicate high variability ofconsumption rates in amphipods related to type, amount and availability offood. During predation, the diurnal consumption rate ranged 6–63 % of bodyweight, being the lowest (5–22 %) for the largest species. The predationindex, the difference between losses in number of prey due to predation andthe physiological requirements of a predator, increased with an increasingdensity of prey reaching maximum 50%. Invasive amphipods determinestructure of community.- 127 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 8Fauna associated with Salmacis bicolor (Echinoidea, Temnopleuridae) atAnthoi archipelago, Vietnam.Bratova O.A., Dgebuadze P.Yu. Britayev T.A.A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RASEmail: bratova.olga@gmail.comThe aim of this report was to study symbiotic fauna associated with regularsea urchin Salmacis bicolor inhabits soft ground, and to compare the obtaineddata with published information on associates of other sea urchins from hardand soft substrates.Sea urchins were sampled in November 2012 at Anthoi archipelago, SouthChina Sea. Sixty specimens of S. bicolor were hand-collected by SCUBAdiving at depths from 10 to 27 m. In the laboratory, they have been carefullychecked for symbionts by eye and then washed with an isotonic solution ofmagnesium chloride. All removed symbionts were fixed in 70% alcohol forfurther identification and counting.Four species of macrosymbionts were found: Allopontonia iaini (Crustacea:Caridea), Zebrida adamsii (Crustacea: Pilumnidae), Vitreobalcis sp.(Gastropoda), Ophiodromus sp. 3 (Polychaeta) (according to Britayev andAntokhina, 2012). Two of them, A. iaini and Vitreobalcis sp. are the newrecords for Vietnamese coast. The species found differed in terms of hostspecificity. Shrimp Allopontonia iaini occurs on regular sea urchins of generaSalmacis and Salmaciella only. Gastropod Vitreobalcis sp. was known fromTemnopleurus toreumaticus, Mespilia globulus. Crab Zebrida adamsii inhabitswide range of regular echinoid species (Toxopneustes pileolus, T. elegans,Tripneustes gratia, Diadema setosum and Asthenosoma ijimai). PolychaeteOphiodromus sp. 3 recoded only from irregular echinoids (Rhynobrissus sp,Laganum sp.). So, three species associated with S. bicolor, are common withrelated regular sea urchins, while one, with species taxonomically remotefrom Salmacis, but inhabited the same ground.We concluded that composition of sea urchin symbiotic assemblage dependsboth on the host morphology or taxonomic position, and on the substrateinhabited.The study was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research,under grant 12-04-31017.- 128 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 9Linking physiological costs to ecological function: Effects of hypoxia anddensity on the brittlestar Amphiura filiformis (O.F. Müller)Ruth Calder-Potts 1,2 ,*, Stephen Widdicombe1, Helen Findlay 1 , John Spicer 2 ,Piero Calosi 21Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth, PL1 3DH2Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, Plymouth University, DrakeCircus, PL4 8AAEmail: ruca@pml.ac.ukHypoxia is recognised as a global threat to marine ecosystem health dueto its potential to alter key biological and ecological processes. Althoughinformation exists that details tolerance levels towards hypoxia for a numberof species, it is still unclear how hypoxia-induced alterations in organismbiology, physiology and behaviour, affect the ability of that organism toexecute its ecological functions.Consequently, a 14-day mesocosm experiment was conducted to investigatethe effects of hypoxia and individuals density on the health and performanceof the ophiuroid brittlestar, Amphiura filiformis. Individuals were established insediment cores at a series of different densities (0, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21 ind./core).Replicate cores for each density were then exposed to either hypoxic (3.59mg L -1 ), or normoxic (8.09 mg L -1 ) treatments. Respiration, mean egg sizeand arm structure were measured, alongside two indicators for ecologicalfunction (bioturbation activity and nutrient flux).Our study showed that A. filiformis is an ‘oxy-conformer’, reducing itsrespiration rate when under hypoxic conditions. However, the individualssubjected to hypoxia continued to display a diminished respiration rate whenoxygen levels were returned to normal, possibly indicating signs of metabolicdepression.Impacts on ecosystem functions were also observed; brittlestar density hadsignificant effects on nitrite, ammonium, silicate and phosphate fluxes. Inaddition, significant interaction effects were observed between dissolvedoxygen, density and exposure time for all nutrients, except nitrate, indicatingthat hypoxic events may cause disturbances to nutrient cycling andremineralisation.The significance of other health and performance parameters measuredduring this experiment will also be discussed, and conclusions summarisedwith the aim of linking physiological costs to ecological function.- 129 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 10THE DECAPOD CRUSTACEANS IN VARANO LAGOON (SOUTH ITALY):COMPOSITION AND DISTRIBUTIONLucrezia Cilenti, Tommaso SciroccoNational Research Council - Institute of Marine Sciences - Lesina, Via Pola 4,71010 Lesina, FG (Italy)Email: lucrezia.cilenti@fg.ismar.cnr.itThe study analyses the composition, distribution and structure of CrustaceanDecapods in Varano lagoon (S. Italy) for ten months. Samplings monthlyof Decapod Crustaceans were carried out from May 2012 to march 2012in three different stations within the Varano lagoon (Capojale and Varanomouths and San Nicola Imbuti) . In each station the main environmentalparameters were recorded by mean multiparametric probe (T °C, S psu).Were found a total 254 specimens Crabs belong to five several families:Portunidae (86%), Grapsidae (4%), Menippidae (2%), Panopeidae (3%),Varunidae (5%). Carcinus aestuarii Nardo, 1847 (Portunidae) was themost abundant and widespread among the species found during the studyperiod in all stations considered. A total 218 specimens of C. aestuarii (205males and 13 females) were caught. The station abounding in fish, in termsof crabs, seems to be called Capoyale, near the mouth of the northwest.Among the species found there is the presence of an alien species of originNorth-West Atlantic, the Panopeidae Dyspanopeus sayi (Smith, 1869). Thiswork contributes to the knowledge of Decapod Crustaceans populations inone of the largest lagoons in the Mediterranean. control of these populationsalso in terms of composition could be a good method of indirect control ofthe environment.- 130 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 11Supporting the marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning researchcommunity (LifeWatch)Stefanie Dekeyzer, Leen Vandepitte, Simon Claus, Annelies Goffin, LennertTyberghein, Klaas Deneudt, Francisco HernandezFlanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) – InnovOcean Site, Wandelaarkaai 7, 8400Oostende, BelgiumEmail: stefanie.dekeyzer@vliz.beTo support scientific research on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning,Europe launched LifeWatch within the European Strategy Forum on ResearchInfrastructures. LifeWatch functions as a central virtual laboratory, integratingobservatories, databases, web services and modeling tools distributedthroughout Europe.VLIZ contributes to LifeWatch by setting up a central taxonomic backbone(TB), managing a marine observatory, providing marine data systems, andoffering data services, models and applications to the science community.The TB combines existing databases, and includes species informationservices (taxonomy access, species occurrence and catalogue services, anda taxonomic editing environment). Such TB facilitates the standardizationof species data and the integration of the distributed biodiversity facilities,and promotes an unambiguous taxonomical classification. An importantcontributing database is the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS),which currently holds >210,000 accepted species. Its content is reviewed by ataxonomic editorial board, who receives financial and logistic support throughLifeWatch. Taxonomic information is supplemented with synonymy, vernacularnames, species attributes, etc. Furthermore, there is a strong link betweenWoRMS and the (European) Ocean Biogeographic Information System((Eur)OBIS) (currently >16,000,000 distribution records of marine species).To further complement the marine species distribution data in EurOBIS, aclose cooperation with the European Marine Observation and Data Network(EMODnet) was established. To standardize geographic names between alldata systems, Marine Regions, a standard list of marine georeferenced placenames and areas (currently >25,000) is used. All data systems are updatedon a daily basis.This central TB will be a valuable asset to the biodiversity and ecosystemfunctioning research community. Through the species information services,researchers can standardize and validate their own biodiversity data. Theseservices, along with geographic and tidal services are available on the FlemishLifeWatch portal (www.lifewatch.be), which was currently launched.- 131 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 12Artificial coastal defences: enhancing biodiversity using sensitive designLouise B. Firth 1 , Richard C. Thompson 2 , Stephen J. Hawkins 31Ryan Institute, School of Natural Sciences, Ryan Institute, NUI Galway3School of Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography CentreSouthampton , 2 Waterfront Campus, University of Southampton, EuropeanWay, Southampton, Hampshire SO14 3ZH, United KingdomEmail: louise.firth@nuigalway.ieGlobal climate change is one of the greatest threats facing society, thepredicted effects of which include rising global temperatures, rising sea levelsand changes in weather patterns. The predicted effects of climate changewill be increased flooding and erosion prompting the need for building andupgrading of coastal defences to protect property and infrastructures. Thesestructures provide hard-substrate habitat in areas that typically comprisesoft sediments, acting as stepping stones, facilitating the range extensionof rocky shore species. Coastal defences can also alter local hydrodynamicprocesses which can in turn affect benthic infaunal communities.Novel ecologically-informed engineering reduces loss of biodiversity onartificial shorelines. Increasing coastal urbanisation, population increaseand the environmental impacts of global climate change are causing naturalhabitats to be replaced by artificial structures that support species-poorcommunities. Experiments in Wales manipulated the boulders of artificialcoastal defence structures by adding multiple experimental habitats ofvarying dimensions. Here, we present the preliminary findings from theseexperiments. We also discuss how these engineering advances provide newinsights into habitat-enhancement on artificial shorelines.- 132 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 16Fish farming creates a 13C depleted basis of the benthic food web and altersdiatom uptake by meiofaunaMateja Grego 1 , Alenka Malej 1 , Clio Cnudde 2 and Marleen De Troch 21National Institute of Biology, Marine Biology Station of Piran, Fornace 41,SI-6330 Piran, Slovenia2Ghent University, Biology Department, Marine Biology Section, CampusSterre, Krijgslaan 281–S8, B-9000 Ghent, BelgiumEmail: grego@mbss.orgThe impact of a fish farm on the feeding ecology of meiofauna under theproduction cages rearing sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax, in the Bay of Piran,Slovenia, was examined. Stable isotope signatures of meiofauna under thecage versus control site (100 m away) were determined. δ 13 C values ofmeiofauna were significantly lower under the fish cage than at control; i.e.-22.5 vs -17.7 ‰ for nematodes and -25.3 vs -20.8 ‰ for harpacticoids.The sedimentary organic matter was also more depleted (-24.4‰ vs -21.8‰δ 13 C) under the cage. A laboratory experiment with 13 C prelabelled diatomsthat were added to sediment cores originating from the cage and control site,revealed a clear impact of the fish farm on the feeding ecology of the benthiccommunity. Harpacticoids showed no major differences and consumeddiatoms, independent of the sampling site. Nematodes from control siteconsumed diatoms, whereas they ingested very small quantities of diatomsunder the fish cage, implying that they probably switch to bacterial food. Thisis supported by DGGE analysis which showed a clearly modified bacterialcommunity under the cage.- 133 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 17Macroalgal biodiversity in the Beaufort Marine Biodiscovery ProjectSvenja Heesch 1 , Margaret Rae 1 , Fabio Rindi 2 , Mark Johnson 1 , Deniz Tasdemir 31Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway, University Road,Galway, Ireland2Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell’Ambiente, Università Politecnicadelle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, Ancona, Italy3School of Chemistry, National University of Ireland, Galway, University Road,Galway, IrelandEmail: svenja.heesch@nuigalway.ieThe overall aim of the Beaufort Marine Biodiscovery Project is to sampleand assess the Irish marine biodiversity, and to extract, identify and developnatural products and other biomaterials for application in areas such as drugdiscovery and biomedical research.Among marine macroalgae, especially members of the Rhodophyta andPhaeophyceae are known to contain secondary metabolites, which mayshow anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-helminthic, antibacterial or cytotoxic activity.With around 520 recorded species of red, green and brown algae, the coastsof Ireland harbour a high macroalgal biodiversity, offering a huge potentialfor biodiscovery. We currently study this biodiversity and screen the marinemacroalgal flora of Ireland for novel bioactive compounds.- 134 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 18Complete Mitochondrial DNA Sequence Analyses of the Soft Coral,Paraminabea acronocephala, from Taiwan.In-Ya Lin and Chi-Hsin HsuNational Sun Yat-sen UniversityEmail: hsuch@mail.nsysu.edu.twCorals are important components of the reef ecosystems, as well as abundantsources of bioactive compounds. However, one of the major obstaclesof studying corals is taxonomy. Traditionally, corals are classified basedon morphological characteristics, including sclerites. The morphologicaltraits may be influenced by the environmental factors, therefore, creatingconflicting identification results. In this study, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) ofthe soft coral, Paraminabea acronocephala, was sequenced. The data mayapply to species identification and elucidation of coral evolution. The coralmtDNA together with the nuclear DNA was isolated by a commercial DNApurification kit. Several overlapping primer sets were designed to amplify(PCR) the mtDNA fragments for sequencing. The complete mtDNA contains19890 bp of nucleotides with 13 typical energy pathway protein-codinggenes (cox1-3, atp6, atp8, nad1-6, nad4L and cob), 2 rRNAs (rns and rnl),1 tRNA (trn M), 1 mismatch repair gene homolog (msh1), and 2 putativeproteins (orf1 and orf2). Eight of the genes (nad4L-cox2) are encoded onthe light strand in contrast to the other heavy strand encoded genes. Thegene organization of P. acronocephala mtDNA is rather unique among themost known soft coral mtDNAs in that the nad6, nad3 and nad4L genes inbetween the cob and msh1 genes are translocated to a place in betweenthe nad4 and cox3 genes. The two unknown ORFs, ORF1 for 144 aminoacids and ORF2 for 180 amino acids, are not found in other soft corals. Thefunction of the 2 ORFs requires further investigation.- 135 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 19Modelling beta diversity of benthic assemblages in the northeast AtlanticMcGinty N and Johnson MP,Ryan Institute NUI Galway, IrelandEmail: mark.johnson@nuigalway.ieBeta diversity, the turnover of species between locations, may help predictecosystem function and can be used in conservation planning. Work on coralreefs has suggested that beta diversity at some scales may be predicted withrelatively high levels of confidence. We examined beta diversity in the watersof the continental margin adjacent to Ireland (including continental marginslope and Rockall Trough) to determine the degree to which bathymetricvariables could predict variation in species turnover. Beta diversity wasmodelled using generalised additive models (GAMs) as a function ofdistance between locations and the change in bathymetry between locations(depth, slope, aspect). Beta diversity increased with the distance betweenareas being compared, potentially indicating a scale for dispersal limitationof assemblages. Other variables interacted, meaning there were no simplerelationships between beta diversity and individual predictors such as depth.Although some continental slope areas had high beta diversity, this was notthe case for all areas of slope. Beta diversity maps predicted patches of highand low species turnover at a finer scale that most current deep sea habitatmaps. The deep sea is more heterogeneous that currently available habitatmaps and the patterns of turnover predicted in this study may provide aframework for work to examine the finer-scaled influence of bathymetry onspecies distributions and ecosystem function.- 136 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 20The relationship between stormwater pollution and rocky shore assemblages.Chloe Kinsella, Tasman CroweUCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, University CollegeDublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.Email: Chloe.Kinsella@ucdconnect.ieIncreased levels of anthropogenic stressors in the marine environment areleading to complex changes in its diversity and functioning. Stormwaterhas been identified as an anthropogenic stressor which negatively impactswater quality, but its ecological effects remain unclear. This study aimedto identify the relationship between stormwater pollution and rocky shoreassemblages. In April 2012, intertidal assemblages were sampled on rockyshores at a range of distances (0 m, 10 m, 20 m, 60 m, and 100 m) fromthree stormwater outfalls north of Dublin. Preliminary results show that, ingeneral, biodiversity increased with increasing distance from the stormwateroutfall. For most variables, the relationship was non-linear in all threelocations, with a step up in diversity between 20 m and 60 m. Multivariateanalysis identified significant differences in assemblage structure between0 m and 100 m, and 10 m and 100 m, at all three locations. Pollutantssuch as metals and polycyclic hydrocarbons may be the cause of reduceddiversity in assemblages closer to the stormwater outfall. With the likelihoodof increased rainfall in future years due to a changing climate, stormwateroutput is predicted to increase. The findings of this survey, along with plannedexperimental stormwater simulations in the field, may be used to improve theeffectiveness of stormwater management and remediation approaches tobenefit ecosystem functioning and provision of ecosystem services.- 137 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 21A novel approach for predicting larval dispersal using hydrodynamic models:an alternative to biophysical modelsKnights, A.M. 1 , J.A. Polton 2 and T.P. Crowe 31Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.2National Oceanography Centre, Liverpool, L3 5DA, UK.3School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin,Science Centre West, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.Email: antony.knights@nuigalway.ieUnderstanding the link between dispersal and demographic structureremains a fundamental challenge in population connectivity studies.Hydrodynamic models can be used to predict dispersal, but non-randomvertical distribution patterns can decouple model estimates from patterns innature. Simplified rules applied within a model in order to mimic non-randompatterns have been used, but dispersal overestimates are common. Here,we test a novel alternative using two versions of a validated 3-dimensionalpassive hydrodynamic model, one that randomly simulates temporalvariation in vertical distribution and another that incorporates field-basedempirical observations of vertical distribution patterns. Significant reductionsin dispersal distance in the structured model over the random model wererevealed and a large proportion of larvae were retained short distances fromtheir natal patch in high aggregations. Evidence suggests that the modificationof a (random) physical model generates more realistic estimates of dispersaldistance over more complex bio-physical alternatives.- 138 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 23Relative importance of invasive zebra mussels and pelagic grazers inconsuming phytoplankton production in a turbid bayLauringson Velda, Kotta Jonne, Orav-Kotta Helen, Oganjan Katarina, PungarAntiUniversity of Tartu, EstoniaEmail: velda@ut.eeBenthic suspension feeders remove suspended particles from the watercolumn and, thereby, accelerate energy transfer between pelagic andbenthic subsystems. Benthic-pelagic coupling is especially intense in shallowareas with good water circulation. However, in very turbid shallow areas,benthic photosynthesis can be negligible and wave action may resuspendsediments, thereby shortening the retention time of energy in the benthicsubsystem. High amounts of anorganic suspension, in turn, may disturbbenthic suspension feeders and decrease their filtering capacity.Invasive zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) have been reported tosuppress phytoplankton and larger micro-and mesozooplankton in severalfreshwater ecosystems. Here, we focus on a heavily exploited, shallow,nontidal brackish water bay, which features high water chlorophyll andsuspended particle concentrations and is invaded by zebra mussels. Thebay is characterised by fast increasing invasive species to local speciesratio and increasing functional diversity. In 2011, a new mussel predatorRhithropanopeus harrisii occurred, which may potentially release pelagiccommunities from mussel grazing pressure in future.The aim of the present study is to evaluate the primary production andgrazing pressure by different herbivore guilds in the bay. The importance ofzooplankton, abiotic environmental conditions and phytoplankton communityparameters to primary production was evaluated by monthly field experimentsduring the ice-free season in 2012. Zebra mussel population feeding rateswere assessed by field sampling of photosynthetic pigments in mussels andconcurrent experiments for pigment egestion and digestion rates. Thesedata will enable to evaluate different eutrophication management strategiesin a turbid ecosystem.- 139 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 24Biodiversity associated with the marine sponges using next generationsequencing and traditional approaches.Moniz, M & McCormack GPNUI Galway, Zoology School of Natural Sciences & Ryan InstituteEmail: grace.mccormack@nuigalway.ieOBJECTIVES Marine sponges are an important element of marine coastalecosystems and provide habitats for other organisms. Only recently havenext generation sequencing methodologies started to be employed todocument the bacterial diversity associated with sponges but even less isknown about their eukaryotic diversity. Here we have examined both theprokaryotic and eukaryotic fauna associated with Haliclona indistincta.METHODS H. indistincta and 2L of surrounding seawater were collectedin Galway Bay, west coast of Ireland. Sponge tissue was separated intothree fractions; one containing all visible epibionts and the liquid from insidethe specimen, one containing eukaryotic cells and the last, bacterial cells.Genomic DNA was isolated from all sponge fractions and from the seawaterfiltrate. Multiple PCR amplicons of 16S and 18S rRNA genes were producedusing barcoded primers, pooled and purified for sequencing. Macroalgaeand animal fauna were described over a 1year period from the same species.RESULTS Over 200,000 sequences were produced and the epibiont sampleyielded most sequences (55,776) but also displayed the most redundancy.The total number of eukaryotic operational taxonomic units was ca. 23 inthe bacterial cells, 22 in the sponge cells, 33 in the epibiont sample and 80in the water. The lowest number of bacterial sequences was retrieved fromthe bacterial cell fraction and approximately equal numbers of archael andbacterial sequence were retrieved. A number of potential symbionts weredetected including bacteria, algae and fungi. Throughout the course of oneyear 66 algal species were identified and 22 animal species recorded livingin and on this species.CONCLUSION. The metagenomic approach has been useful to help unravelthe genetic diversity of the community associated with H. indistincta, but the18S is rRNA gene has not been very successful as a taxonomic marker asmost of the sequences had no close yet submitted to GenBank.- 140 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 26Impact of storm induced hydrodynamics on egg mortality of spring spawningherring in the Western Baltic SeaDorothee Moll, Paul Kotterba, Patrick PolteThuenen Institute of Baltic Sea Fisheries, GermanyEmail: dorothee.moll@ti.bund.deGreifswald Bay, a shallow brackish lagoon located in the Western Baltic Sea,a main spawning area for the Western Baltic spring spawning herring Clupeaharengus. For commercial fisheries this herring stock is the most importanttarget in the region. Therefore it is essential to identify and evaluate the maindrivers of annual recruitment variability. Most recruitment research is therebyfocusing on larval survival dynamics rather than drivers of egg mortality. Inour study we analysed the impact of single storm events on herring eggsurvival. During the spawning season from March to May, herring attachesdemersal eggs to submerged macrophytes in the shallow littoral zone. Storminduced hydrodynamics can exert sufficient mechanic force to detach thespawning substrate, including herring spawn. Hypothesizing that local stormevents can highly impact herring reproduction, fixed transects on distinctdepth zones were sampled weekly throughout the spawning season. Withinthis approach egg densities and macrophyte coverage per square metrewere quantified in two different spawning grounds prior to a multiple-daystorm event and immediately afterwards. Additionally, a beach section of 571m located in the lee side of investigated transects was sampled for biomass ofmacrophyte litter with attached herring spawn after the storm event. Resultsrevealed that 118 million eggs were found on 904 kg macrophyte dry mass.High egg densities on plant litter correspond to an observed storm induceddecrease of biomass on littoral transects. We conclude that annual herringreproduction success can significantly be influenced by single storm events.- 141 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 27Mercury in zooplankton in the nearshore zone of the Gulf of Gdańsk(Southern Baltic)Stella Mudrak-Cegiołka, Magdalena Bełdowska, Agnieszka JędruchUniversity of Gdańsk, Department of Marine Plankton Research, PolandEmail: stella.mudrak@ug.du.plThe main purpose of our study was transport of mercury -one of most toxicheavy metals -in the marine ecosystem. Here we present results concerningzooplankton in nearshore zone of the Gulf of Gdańsk (Southern Baltic Sea).The biological material was taken monthly in whole 2012 year in two differentstations: Osłonino (quiet little bay from greatest cities far) and Gdynia (big portcity). Samples of zooplankton were collected using a plankton net of 50µmmesh size: one vertical (1-0m) quantitative sample, one horizontal qualitativesample and horizontal concentrated sample for chemical analyses. The lastsamples we transported to the laboratory alive and after 24h we dividedalive zooplankton from the rest of sample (dead zooplankton, fitoplankton,suspended matter) using phototaxis. Concentration of Hg in zooplankton wasmeasured using AMA 254 analyzer. Laboratory analyses have confirmed thatin investigated zone is strong mixing in the water column. High concentrationof suspended matter and contamination and presence of tychoplankton –organisms from other ecological formation i.e. benthos (Harpacticoida) orland (Insecta) showed it. We noted typical taxa for the Southern Baltic likeAcartia spp. (Copepoda) and many freshwater organisms – different speciesof Rotifera and Cyclopoida At Gdynia station region, concentration of Hg inliving zooplankton was higher during summer than in the remaining months,with maximum concentration in August (278,0 ngHg/g d.w.). At Osłoninostation region, the highest concentration of mercury was recorded duringspring, in April -596,8 ngHg/g d.w. Elevated value, was noticed in September322,6 ngHg/g d.w. -this concentration was similar to value measured atGdynia. Presence of zooplankton in the water during warm autumn, leads tohigher mercury transfer into trophic chain.- 142 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 28Benthic diversity in Messolonghi lagoon, GreeceNikos Providakis 1,2 , David Cabana 1,2 , Artemis Nicolaidou 2 , Kalliopi Sigala 1,2 andSofia Reizopoulou 11Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Oceanography, 19013Anavyssos, Greece2Department of Zoology & Marine Biology, University of Athens,Panepistimiopolis, 15784 Athens, GreeceEmail: np_kifeas@yahoo.grThe lagoon system of Messolonghi is situated on the northern side of thePatraikos Gulf, between the Acheloos and Evinos rivers. It is the largestlagoon complex in Greece covering about 15.000 ha consistsing of 6 lagoonswith different geomorphological and hydrological features. The lagooncomplex is part of a Marine Protected Area (MPA), which is the most recentMPA in Greece, established in 2006, as National Park of Messolonghi -Aetoliko Lagoons, Estuaries of Acheloos and Evinos and Echinades Islands.It is also a Ramsar Site, Important Bird Area (IBA), and part of the Natura2000 network.The present study is focused on the Messolonghi Central lagoon which is arelatively open basin communicating with the sea through a long frontal area.At its head it receives the effluent of a small sewage treatment plant. Thedepth (mean 1m) varies irregularly due to human interventions.Macrobenthic communities were studied in Messolonghi lagoon across agradient of communication with the sea and across unvegetated and vegetatedbottoms dominated by Cymodocea nodosa and Valonia. Taxonomic diversitywas studied through commonly employed diversity indices while functionaltraits such as feeding type, mobility, habitat modification and body sizeamong other traits were also considered.This study reports the highest species richness of benthic fauna for lagoonalenvironments in Greece. Vegetated areas supported a higher number ofspecies and revealed also a higher functional diversity. Seawater influenceand presence of vegetation had the primary control in determining speciesrichness and community diversity in Messolonghi lagoon.- 143 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 29Threatened Macroalgae and Phanerogam Species in Mediterranean Coast ofTurkeyEmine Şükran 1 , Okudan Aslan 1 , Volkan Demir 21Akdeniz University, Faculty of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries, Department ofBasic Aquatic Science, Antalya, Turkey.2Istanbul University, Institute of Marine Sciences and Management,Department of Marine Environment, Istanbul, TurkeyEmail: okudanes@gmail.comThis research aims to document the patterns of threatened species ofphanerogams and macroalgae in marine habitats from Mediterranean coastof Turkey. The study was carried out from Fethiye Bay to Iskenderun gulfbetween 2010 and 2013. Samples were collected by skin diving and scientificscuba diving. Threatened species, such as Lithophyllum byssoides (Lamarck)Foslie, L. tortuosum (Esper) Foslie, Titanoderma trochanter (Bory de Saint-Vincent) Benhissoune, Boudouresque, Perret-Boudouresque and Verlaque,Caulerpa ollivieri Dostál, Cystoseira amentacea (C. Agardh) Bory de Saint-Vincent, C. amentacea var. stricta Montagne, C. barbata (Stackhouse)C.Agardh, C. corniculata (Turner) Zanardini, C. corniculata var. laxiorErcegovic, C. crinita Duby, C. crinitophylla Ercegovic, C. dubia Valiante,C.elegans Sauvageau,C.foeniculacea (Linnaeus) Greville, C. foeniculaceaf. tenuiramosa (Ercegovic) A.Gómez Garreta, M.C. Barceló, M.A.Ribera &J.Rull Lluch, C. humilis Schousboe ex Kützing, C. mediterranea Sauvageau,C. sauvageauana Hamel, C. spinosa Sauvageau, C. squarrosa DeNotaris,C. tamariscifolia (Hudson) Papenfuss, C. zosteroides C. Agardh, Sargassumacinarium (Linnaeus) Setchell, S. hornschuchii C.Agardh, Posidoniaoceanica (Linnaeus) Delile, Halophila stipulacea (Forsskål) Ascherson inAnon., Cymodocea nodosa (Ucria) Ascherson, Zostera marina Linnaeus, Z.noltei Hornemann were collected from three depth zones (0-6m, 6-18m and18-30m). Thalli were air-dried or preserved in buffered 5 % formaldehyde inseawater for further observations. The distribution patterns of the protectedspecies were figured out and the factors affecting their distributions weredetermined using ArcGIS mapping.- 144 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 30Experimental evidence suggests a general decline of bivalves due to thepredation of the introduced mud crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii Gould(Crustacea, Decapoda) in the brackish Baltic SeaOrav-Kotta, H., Kotta, J., Pärnoja, M.Estonian Marine Institute, University of TartuEmail: helen.orav@sea.eeThe mud crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii (Gould) is a native of the North-American coast of the Atlantic where it lives in brackish estuarine waters. InEurope, the mud crab was found for the first time in 1874. In recent yearsthe species suddenly expanded its European distribution area including theBaltic Sea. This introduction represents the first crab species reproducingin the whole Baltic Sea range. In a factorial mesocosm experiment weevaluated the effects of the mud crab on local benthic macrophytes andinvertebrate species. The results indicated that the invasive crab significantlyreduced densities of all bivalves and at lesser extent gastropods and theinvasive gammarid amphipod Gammarus tigrinus. Such negative effectswere independent of sediment type and habitat forming macroalgal species.Providing the fast expansion of its distribution area, high crab density and thelack of such functional trait in the Baltic Sea range, this invasion is expectedto cause significant decline of the bivalve populations in the near future.- 145 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 34Marine biogeographic data in EurOBIS: assessing their quality, completenessand fitness for useLeen Vandepitte, Filip Waumans, Lennert Tyberghein, Bart Vanhoorne,Francisco HernandezFlanders Marine InstituteEmail: leen.vandepitte@vliz.beThe online European Ocean Biogeographic Information System (EurOBIS)brings together data from various sources. Given this very diverse nature,checking the data quality and format is not always evident. To simplify thisquality control (QC) task, a set of automated QC procedures has beendeveloped, encompassing taxonomic, geographic, outlier and data formatchecks.The aim of these QC procedures is two-fold: (1) help the data managementteam and data providers to check the quality and completeness of thesubmitted data and (2) help the users in selecting data from EurOBIS thatare fit for their use and purpose.Each data record is submitted to 20 QC steps, generating 20 QC flags.Additionally, outlier analyses are run on the dataset and the completeEurOBIS data system, generating 2 more QC flags.QC flags can be combined according to the required ‘fitness for use’, therebycreating a specific filter on the available data. The European Marine Dataand Observation Network (EMODnet) Biology Portal is currently applyingsuch a filter. It only makes available records complying with the following QCsteps: the required fields are complete, the taxon name relates to a genusor species and is listed in the World Register of Marine Species, and thecoordinates are – format wise – correct.The QC procedures are used by the data management team and will bemade available through the LifeWatch Portal, where researchers will be ableto run these procedures themselves. They will also be implemented on theinternational OBIS data system, greatly improving the ‘fitness for use’ ofmarine species distribution data on an international level. The developmentof these QC procedures is part of the VLIZ contribution to LifeWatch, andfunded by the Hercules Foundation.- 148 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 35The European Ocean Biogeographic Information System (EurOBIS) and itsrelation with international data systemsLeen Vandepitte, Simon Claus, Bart Vanhoorne, Lennert Tyberghein, StefanieDekeyzer, Filip Waumans, Klaas Deneudt & Francisco HernandezFlanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) – Oostende, BelgiumEmail: leen.vandepitte@vliz.beThe European Ocean Biogeographic Information System – EurOBIS – is anonline marine biogeographic data system compiling data on all living marinespecies. The main aims are to centralize the largely scattered biogeographicdata on marine species collected by European institutions and to makethese data freely available and easily accessible. EurOBIS continues togrow through voluntary data contributions from the marine scientific world.Currently, EurOBIS consists of 440 datasets, representing 16.3 milliondistribution records.All data are subject to a number of quality control procedures before they aremade available online, assuring a minimum level of quality necessary to putthe data to good use. These quality control steps are embedded in onlineweb services and encompass a taxonomic, geographic, outlier and dataformat checks. Several data systems developed and maintained at VLIZ areinvolved in these checks, such as the World Register of Marine Species andthe Marine Regions gazetteer.On a European level, EurOBIS intensively collaborates with the EuropeanMarine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet). While EurOBIS is thedata engine for EMODnet and is investing in the development of relevantanalysis tools and applications, EMODnet biology is developing new dataproducts and services illustrating the temporal and geographic variability ofEuropean marine species having high environmental relevance.EurOBIS also plays an important international role. As a regional OBIS node,it synchronizes all its data to OBIS on a regular basis. Additionally, its hostinstitute VLIZ hosts the OBIS database & website and takes responsibility forboth the international data harvest and the taxonomic quality control.- 149 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 36Investigating the genetic origin of and extent of hybridisation in Mytilus spp inScottish mussel farming using SNPs and high-throughput RAD sequencingJoanna Wilson 1 , John B. Taggart 1 , Iveta Matejusova 2 , Michael Bekaert 11Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Scotland, FK9 4LA2Marine Scotland Marine Lab. Victoria Road, Aberdeen, Scotland, AB11 9DBEmail: joanna.wilson@stir.ac.ukGlobal production of the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) exceeded 200,000tonnes in 2010. In Scotland, 7,200 tonnes were harvested; this declined by3% in 2011. Three mussel species (M. edulis, M. galloprovincialis and M.trossulus) are found on Scottish coasts, but population structures remainuncertain because of widespread hybridisation wherever their rangesoverlap. It is claimed that M. edulis x M. trossulus hybrids have causeda 50% decline in mussel production in Loch Etive, Scotland, because oftheir thin shell and low meat content; the actual extent of hybridisationand its impact upon Scottish mussel farmers has yet, however, to be fullydocumented. Local environmental conditions can strongly influence shellmorphology; subsequently, genotyping of mussels presents a more reliablemethod of species identification than examining phenotype. Two nuclearDNA markers (Glu5’ and Me15/16) with species-specific PCR patterns areroutinely used to distinguish between M. edulis, M. galloprovincialis and M.trossulus. These markers detect hybrids in a population but not their geneticorigin or how much interspecies mating is taking place. A more powerfulmarker is required for discriminating between species and providing up-todateinformation about the genetic composition and biodiversity of Mytilusspp in Scotland. The following study aims to develop new, reliable geneticmarkers for M. edulis and M. trossulus using restriction-site-associatedDNA (RAD) sequencing and single-nucleotide-polymorphisms (SNPs), andto investigate the genetic origin of hybrids and the extent of hybridisationthroughout Scotland. This will benefit mussel farmers and conservationistsby supplying information for use in the sustainable management of Mytiluspopulations.- 150 -

Theme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionPoster Number: 37Influence of macrobenthos on meiobenthic assemblages in shallow, subtidalsediments at Tai Tam Bay, Hong KongW.Z. Xu 1 , S.G. Cheung 1,2 , Z.N. Zhang 3 and P.K.S. Shin 1,21Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong2State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, HongKong3College of Marine Life Science, Ocean University of China, ChinaEmail: pwenzhexu@gmail.comIn order to assess the effects of macrofauna on the meiofaunal assemblages,especially the free-living nematodes, a field exclusion experiment wasconducted at the Tai Tam Bay, a shallow (3 m) embayment in subtropicalHong Kong. Sediment collected from the study site were frozen to kill off allanimals, then placed in cages (L: 30 cm, W: 30 cm, H: 15 cm) and transplantedback for experimentation. Four treatments, each with 3 replicates, wereemployed: (1) fine (0.5 mm) meshed cages, (2) large (2 mm) meshedcages, (3) open cages (the lid and sides of the cage were left open) and (4)background controls – areas of the seabed. These cages were arranged ina randomized block design and buried into the sediment. The fine and largemeshed cages were used for exclusion of macrofauna of different sizes, theopen cages for correction of possible procedural impacts and the controls forcomparison with temporal natural variations. Samples were collected at 1, 3and 6 months after the deployment of the cages for meiobenthic communityanalysis. In the caged sediments, the abundance of meiofauna, nematodesand copepods increased relative to that recorded in the open cages andcontrols, in the 6 months’ experiment. The different effects of predation fromdifferent size of macrofauna were also observed as the 0.5 mm mesh cagedsediment had higher meiofaunal abundance than that in the 2 mm meshcaged sediment. Our results suggested that the exclusion of macrofaunalpredators had a clear effect on meiofaunal abundance, and the polychaetepredation may also be a factor affecting meiofaunal assemblages, other thanfrom fish predation effect alone.- 151 -

Theme: Ocean Acidification and BiodiversityPoster Number: 38Effects of ocean acidification on copepod reproduction and sizeAnna-Karin Almén, Anu Vehmaa, Jonna Engström-Öst, Andreas BrutemarkÅbo Akademi University, FinlandEmail: anna-karin.sandbacka@novia.fiThe sensitivity of calanoid copepods to climate change and oceanacidification is not well known. As copepods are an important link betweenphytoplankton and fish, negative effects on their reproduction or growth canhave far reaching consequences on the whole ecosystem. The synergisticeffects of several climate related phenomena can be even more severe.Environmental stressors such as warming, acidification and pesticideshave been shown to cause decreased body size in zooplankton. Reducedsize may consequently decrease egg production and egg size, and alterthe energy transfer in the marine food web. Therefore experiments weredone to examine the effects of ocean acidification on copepod reproductionand prosome length during large mesocosm set-ups. In the summer of 2012lab based bottle incubations were done with water and animals obtainedfrom the mesocosms situated in the Baltic Sea. Female Eurytemora affiniswere monitored for nauplii production, oxidative stress and fatty acids forfour weeks. Although no direct effect of high carbon dioxide and reduced pHwas found, interestingly a peak in nauplii production was seen in one of thehigh carbon dioxide treatments. Further analysis will be conducted to revealpotential indirect effects via food quantity or quality.To study the effects of ocean acidification on size, an experiment will beconducted in May 2013 during a long term mesocosm study on the westcoast of Sweden. Animals from the mesocosms will be measured forprosome length, egg production, egg size and hatching success. The studiesprovide an opportunity to compare the vulnerability of copepods to oceanacidification in two very different environments, shallow brackish waterversus a deep stratified fjord.- 152 -

Theme: Ocean Acidification and BiodiversityPoster Number: 39Acid-base status of Antarctic sea urchins and their vulnerability facing oceanacidificationCollard, Mariea, 2 , Dehairs, Frank 2 , Dubois, Philippe 11Laboratoire de Biologie Marine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 50 avenue F.D.2Roosevelt, B-1050 Brussels, Belgiumb Laboratorium voor AnalytischeChemie, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, BelgiumEmail: marie.collard9@gmail.comIncreased atmospheric CO2 emissions are inducing changes in seawatercarbon chemistry, lowering its pH. This phenomenon, known as oceanacidification, is happening at a faster rate in cold regions, i.e., polar and subpolarwaters. Sea urchins make a significant contribution to biodiversity in theSouthern Ocean and, being osmoconformers, are believed to be particularlyprone to acidification. Therefore, we assessed the acid-base status of thedifferent sea urchins taxons collected during campaign 81 of RV Polarsternin the Wedell Sea, Bransfield Strait, and Drake Passage. Cidaroids, a basalgroup, have very low extracellular pH and buffering capacity and are knownto maintain the former when submitted to moderate acidification. Regularand irregular euechinoids have a rather high extracellular pH. The formeralso have a high buffering capacity in the extracellular fluid. On the contrary,the latter showed a low buffering capacity. Furthermore, some antarcticirregular sea urchins showed a reduced pH in the chambers where juvenilesare brooded, in comparison with sea water. Consequently, antarctic irregularbrooding euechinoids are considered as being particularly at risk due toocean acidification.- 153 -

Theme: Ocean Acidification and BiodiversityPoster Number: 40Impact of ocean acidification on coral reefs and mangroves sea cucumbersCollard, Mariea 1 , Eeckhaut, Igor 3 , Dehairs, Frank 2 , Dubois, Philippe 11Laboratoire de Biologie Marine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 50 avenue F.D.Roosevelt, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium2Laboratorium voor Analytische Chemie, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium3Biology of Marine Organisms and Biomimetics, University of Mons, 23 Placedu Parc, B-7000 Mons, BelgiumEmail: marie.collard9@gmail.comGlobal change threatens all oceans, first by the decrease of the seawaterpH, and second by the increase of sea surface temperature. In reefenvironments, the holothurians represent an ecologically important groupboth by their implication in the treatment of organic matter and by theirimpact on carbonate sediments of the reefs and mangroves. Furthermore,holothurians are economically important as some species are considereda delicacy. The present study compares the impact of ocean acidificationon the physiology, metabolism and survival of the holothurians Holothuriascabra, an inhabitant of the reef flat and the principal sea cucumber speciescultured in Toliara, Madagascar, and Holothuria sp, a sea cucumber from themangroves which faces extreme conditions at low tide (pHtotal scale 7.20,salinity 20 and temperature 27°C). The sea cucumbers were exposed toreduced seawater pH(7.7 and 7.4) for 12 days for the first species and 6 days for the second.The acid-base balance of the coelomic fluid (major extracellular fluid) wasassessed by measuring pH, alkalinity and DIC. The metabolism of theindividuals was also evaluated by means of respiration rate and ammoniumexcretion rate. Finally, the influence of reduced seawater pH on recycling ofthe carbonate sediment was measured.- 154 -

Theme: Ocean Acidification and BiodiversityPoster Number: 41European project on Mediterranean Sea Acidification in a changing climate(MedSeA)Jason Hall-Spencer MedSeA benthic ecology Plymouth University, School ofMarine Science and Engineering, Plymouth, UK.Ziveri Patrizia MedSeA coordinator, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona,Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.Email: jhall-spencer@plymouth.ac.uk ; patrizia.ziveri@uab.catOcean acidification poses a severe threat to marine ecosystems by decreasingocean pH and carbonate mineral saturation state and having adverse effectson many marine organisms. The Mediterranean is an enclosed sea has ahigh environmental variability and steep physicochemical gradients within arelatively restricted region. The generally low-nutrient (from oligotrophic toultraoligotrophic) waters offshore contains coral and seagrass ecosystems,which are affected by human-induced eutrophication. Thus acidification isan additional anthropogenic pressure on Mediterranean Sea ecosystems,already suffering from overfishing, increasing sea surface temperatures, andinvasions of alien species.MedSeA is a three year 7th Framework Program project (2011-2014) with16partner institutions and about 100 PIs, mainly from around the Mediterraneanregion. The total project budget is about € 6 M and it is cofinanced by theEuropean Community for € 3.5 M. This project is assessing uncertainties,risks and thresholds related to Mediterranean acidification at organismal,ecosystem and economical scales. Our basin-scale approach will alsofocus on conveying the acquired scientific knowledge to a wider audienceof reference users, while suggesting policy measures for adaptation andmitigation that will vary from one region to another. New observational andexperimental data on Mediterranean organism and ecosystem responses toacidification are being generated and fed into existing fine-scale models ofthe Mediterranean Sea that are modified to better represent key processes,and then used to project future changes. MedSeA aims to provide bestestimates and related uncertainties of future changes in MediterraneanSea pH, CaCO3 saturation states, and other biogeochemical-ecosystemvariables, assessing the changes in habitat suitability of relevant ecologicaland economically-important species. MedSeA also assesses a selected setof keyMediterranean ecosystem and socio-economic variables that are likely to beaffected by both acidification and warming.Further information is available at medsea-project.eu.- 155 -

Theme: Ocean Acidification and BiodiversityPoster Number: 42Benthic foraminifera along shallow water CO2 gradientsPettit, L. R. 1 , Smart, C. W. 1 , Milazzo, M. 2 and Hall-Spencer, J. M. 11The Marine Institute, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA2DiSTeM University of Palermo, CoNISMa, via Archirafi, 36, 90123 Palermo,ItalyEmail: jhall-spencer@plymouth.ac.ukEpiphytic foraminifera living on the brown seaweed Padina pavonicawere sampled near to shallow water CO2 vents off the island of Vulcano,Italy. These shallow water CO2 vents alter the carbonate chemistry of thesurrounding seawater and create a gradient in carbonate saturation, providinga natural laboratory for investigations of the long-term effects of oceanacidification. Few studies have examined the effects of ocean acidificationon benthic foraminifera, yet this is a matter of major environmental concern,one reason being that rapid shoaling of the carbonate saturation horizon isexposing vast areas of marine sediments to corrosive waters worldwide. Wetested the hypothesis that algal surfaces would provide refugia for benthicforaminifera along a gradient of overlying seawater acidification, since algalphotosynthesis raises the pH of seawater in the diffusion boundary layer. Infact, we found a dramatic reduction in the number of species of epiphyticforaminifera and the community assemblage changed from one dominatedby calcareous forms at reference sites (pH ~8.1) to ones dominated byagglutinated forms near to the CO2 vents (pH ~7.6). As exactly the samepattern has been found in sediments along carbonate saturation gradientsthis has serious implications for the survival of calcareous foraminifera withfuture ocean acidification- 156 -

Theme: Ocean Acidification and BiodiversityPoster Number: 44Living fossils (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) may do just fine in an acidifiedoceanJulia D. Sigwart, Nicholas CareyQueen’s University Belfast, Marine Laboratory, 12-13 The Strand, Portaferry,Co. Down, BT22 1PFEmail: j.sigwart@qub.ac.ukChitons (class Polyplacophora) are benthic grazing molluscs with an eightpartaragonitic shell armature. The radula, a serial tooth ribbon that extendsinternally more than half the length of the body, is mineralised on the activefeeding teeth with iron magnetite apparently as an adaptation to constantgrazing on rocky substrates. As the anterior feeding teeth are eroded theyare shed and replaced with a new row. The efficient mineralisation andfunction of the radula could be affected by changing oceans in two ways:changes in seawater chemistry (pH) may impact the biomineralisationpathway, potentially leading to a weaker or altered density of the feedingteeth; rising temperatures could increase activity levels in these ectothermicanimals ability to synthesise, mineralise, and replace radular rows. Wetherefore examined the effects of pH and temperature on the growth andmineralisation in the radula of chiton Leptochiton asellus. Our experimentimplemented three temperature (12C, 16C, 20C) and two pH (7.5,8.0)treatments for six treatment groups. Animals (n=50) were acclimated to thetreatment conditions for a period of 3 weeks. This is sufficient time for growthof ca. 7 new tooth rows or 20% turnover of the mineralised portion. Therewas no significant difference in the number of new (non-mineralised) teeth ortotal tooth row count in any treatment (Kruskal-Wallis χ2=6.61, df=5, p=0.25).Examination of the radulae via SEM revealed no differences in microwear orbreakage on the feeding cusps correlating to treatment groups. As a lineage,chitons have survived repeated shifts in Earth’s climate in deep time, and atleast their raduale may be robust to future perturbations.- 157 -

Theme: Climate ChangePoster Number: 45Decadal scale change in large brown macroalgal abundance within the UnitedKingdom.Bush, L., Brodie, J., Yesson, C., Davies, A., and Maggs, C.Bangor University, United KingdomEmail: laura_bush@hotmail.comThe large brown macroalgae characterise rocky temperate shores, suchas those of the United Kingdom. Within the last decade there have beenan increasing number of reports that both kelp and fucoids are declining inabundance within the northeast Atlantic region, with reports on extirpationsand range retractions in many species. Long-term, broad-scale datasetsare available for the distribution and abundance of large brown macroalgaewithin UK waters. A comprehensive database has been collated for 15species of zone forming brown macroalgae allowing an assessment ofcurrent and historic abundance: some species, such as the northern kelpAlaria esculenta, have shown a decrease in abundance whilst others,such as the invasive southern fucoid Sargassum muticum, have shownan increase. A detailed review of the evidence of change has been carriedout, in addition to a review of the potential drivers of this change, with aspecific focus on long-term climate change. UK specific species distributionmodels have been generated with a strong model response for August seasurface temperature (SST), seabed slope and light reaching the seabed.These dominant driving factors will be directly impacted by anthropogenicchange on different temporal scales. An increase in suspended sedimentwill negatively impact light reaching the seabed. An increase in sea level willresult in coastal steepening, whilst global warming will inherently increaseAugust SST. The extent to which the predicted range expansion of southernspecies will compensate for potential northern species range retractions isunknown.- 158 -

Theme: Climate ChangePoster Number: 46Scaling as a tool to measure the impact of a warming ocean on the marinegastropod Buccinum undatumCarina M. Gsottbauer, Queen’s University BelfastEmail: cgsottbauer01@qub.ac.ukRising sea temperature is expected to be a dominant influence on non-coralmarine invertebrates in near-future climate change scenarios. The extensiveimpact of temperature on physiology in terms of physiological responses(e.g. metabolism, growth rate, size at maturity) has long been acknowledgedand ectotherms which are reliant on an external heat source to regulate theirbody temperature are especially vulnerable to thermal changes. My workhas applied allometric scaling of metabolic rate as a tool to investigate theimpacts of elevated seawater temperature on the Common Whelk Buccinumundatum. Specimens of B. undatum were acclimated to three different watertemperatures (10, 14, 18°C) for physiological experiments. Experimentaltemperatures were chosen to represent average winter temperature at timeof spawning/ hatching (10°C), elevated winter temperature (14°C), andelevated summer temperature (18°C) in Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland.For every temperature treatment, specimens were selected to representtotal ontogeny from newly hatched juveniles to adults. This should make itpossible to determine an upper thermal limit for normal metabolism and toexplore the inherent temperature tolerance of this species in order to makemore accurate predictions towards the impact of a warming ocean on B.undatum. Results show faster growth with elevated temperature with over250 experiments done across total ontogeny- 159 -

Theme: Climate ChangePoster Number: 47Spatially Resolved Analysis Of Atlantic Mackerel (Scomber Scombrus)Distribution Using International Catch Data: Fishery, Environment AndManagement EffectsHughes, Kathryn 1 , Mark P. Johnson 1 and Leonie Dransfeld 21Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway, University Road,Galway, Ireland2Marine Institute, Rinville, Oranmore, County Galway, IrelandEmail: kathrynhughes1983@gmail.comFishery dependent data provide a useful source of spatial information onfish abundance and distribution and are important in stock assessment toassess fishing mortality. In this research an empirical orthogonal functionanalysis (EOF) applied to northeast Atlantic mackerel (NEAM) internationalcatch data (1977-2010) identifies regions most contributing to changes inmackerel distribution over time. Spatial statistics (centre of gravity (CoG))were used to weight environmental parameters (sea surface temperature(SST) and bathymetry) by abundance. Results showed that the continentalshelf edge (CSE), southern Norwegian Sea and northern North Sea areimportant fishing grounds for mackerel. Increased catches occurred alongthe CSE throughout the time series. Nine regions were identified. Threeregions did not significantly change in annual catch abundance over timeand appeared to represent the majority of the catch trend. Three regionssignificantly increased in catch over time, of these two significantly increasedin mean SST whilst one did not and the catch weighted CoG SST did notchange in any of them. The final three regions significantly decreased inannual catch abundance over time and significantly increased in meanSST whilst the COG SST did not change; except for one region on theshelf. The results suggest that where possible, mackerel are changing indistribution and relative abundance within areas that are warming to alleviatethe increase in SST. There was a general offshore movement shown by anincrease in the CoG bathymetry, although it is unclear whether this was aresponse to climate or fishing pressure. The NEAM fishing fleet effort hasshifted away from the continental shelf in more recent years, demonstratedthrough a CoG of catch year, and the fishery appears to have to travel largerdistance per unit of mackerel catch.- 160 -

Theme: Climate ChangePoster Number: 48Trailing edge contraction associated with recent warming trends threatens adistinct genetic lineage in the seaweed Fucus vesiculosusKaty R. Nicastro, Gerardo I. Zardi, Sara Teixeira, João Neiva, Ester A. Serrão,Gareth A. PearsonCCMAR – CIMAR Laboratório Associado, ItalyEmail: katynicastro@yahoo.itGlobal climate change has a significant influence on distributional patternsof a wide variety of taxa causing species range shifts, but rarely have suchconsequences been related to the changes in the species genetic pool. Moststudies investigating the effects of climate change on biodiversity consider aspecies as a unit and thus overlook intraspecific genetic variation.To draw links between recent range shifts and contemporary climate change,we compared temporal changes in distribution of the canopy forming algaFucus vesiculosus with historical sea surface temperature (SST) patterns.To estimate whether such effects might have caused cryptic genetic erosion,we estimated genetic diversity and differentiation between extant and extinctpopulations that had been sampled prior to recent extinctions.We report a rapid and extensive climate-induced range contraction of thesouthern border of F. vesiculosus, with a northward shift of the historical limitof about 11° latitude along eastern Atlantic shores that could drive a crypticevolutionary lineage of the species to extinction.This lineage occurs under particularly stressful environmental conditions;thus extinctions of locally adapted populations could reduce the adaptivecapacity of the species as a whole. This is a remarkable case of climatecorrelateddiversity loss below the species level, a process that could renderthe species more vulnerable to future environmental changes and affect itsevolutionary potential, a serious conservation concern.- 161 -

Theme: Climate ChangePoster Number: 49What drives changes in zoobenthic communities? Analysis of temporal trendsand environmental factors behind progression patterns of benthic FaunaBenjamin Weigel, Martin Snickars, Erik BonsdorffÅbo Akademi University, Department of Biosciences, Environmental andMarine Biology, Artillerigatan 6, FI-20520 Åbo, FinlandEmail: bweigel@abo.fiOver the past decades, eutrophication has become a severe threat to thecoastal ecosystems on a global scale. Coupled to aspects of climate-drivenchange such as rising temperature and decreasing salinity in the landlocked,low-saline Baltic Sea, this forces a reorganization of benthic habitatsand communities. Our study aims at analysing temporal trends in thedevelopment of coastal zoobenthic communities, using a long-term data set,spanning 40 years (1973-2013), and assembled around the Åland Islands,Northern Baltic Sea. With its highly mosaic-structured geography, the Ålandarchipelago creates a heterogeneous environment with steep gradients ofabiotic parameters, comparable with patterns found in the entire Baltic Sea,and serves therefore as model area for understanding general aspects onlarger spatial scales. Here, we analyze the consequences of successionalchanges in environmental conditions on the past, leading to the present stateof benthic soft bottom communities, using biomass and species compositionas proxies. Eventually, our results will serve as a base for evaluating the roleof benthic fauna in the coastal food web under the influence of environmentalstressors. We are particularly interested in the influence of climate changeinduced stress on zoobenthos, serving as food-resource for fish. Shifts inbenthic biomass and species composition may have crucial impacts ontropic interactions in the coastal food web and are therefore of high interestin ecological and economical fields currently and in the future.- 162 -

Theme: Evolution, Systematics and Developmental BiologyPoster Number: 6Molecular systematics and ecology of Graneledone (family Megaleledonidae)and other deep-water octopusesA. Louise Allcock 1 , Vladimir Laptikhovsky, Janet Voight, Peter Smith, DirkSteinke, Jan M. Strugnell1National University of Ireland GalwayEmail: louise.allcock@gmail.comGraneledone is a deep-sea genus of octopus which has a global distribution.Nonetheless it has been shown to have its evolutionary origins in theSouthern Ocean and hence it has a southern hemisphere focus to itsbiogeography. In recent years, several new species have been describedfrom the southern hemisphere and the relationships among these specieshave not been explored. Haplotype networks constructed from nucleotidesequences of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI:the DNA barcode of life gene) show that whilst some species separate intoseparate networks, several other species are linked within a single network,although with some geographic structuring. Thaumeledone is found only inthe Southern hemisphere and has also been shown previously to have itsevolutionary origins in the Southern Ocean. Analysis of COI DNA barcodesfrom around Antarctica, subAntarctic islands and the Falkland Islands revealsspecies new to science. The implications of these findings for cephalopodsystematics and evolution are discussed.- 163 -

Theme: Evolution, Systematics and Developmental BiologyPoster Number: 50Master Data Management and User Services of the Catalogue of LifeViktoras Didžiulis, Yuri Roskov & Thomas KunzeCatalogue of Life – Life, School of Biological Sciences, Harborne Building,The University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AS, UKEmail: v.didziulis@reading.ac.uk, y.roskov@reading.ac.uk, t.kunze@reading.ac.ukThe Catalogue of Life contains over 2 million names (accepted names,synonyms and common names) with higher classification of marine,terrestrial and freshwater species from a growing number of Global SpeciesDatabases.The Catalogue of Life is released monthly. Keeping database of this size upto date is a complex task because of big volume of data entities and multiplerelationships that need to be managed. Making the resource available tousers is a different kind of challenge because of wide range of user needsand preferences. We aimed to improve both master data managementinfrastructure, data aggregation (assembly) workflow and user services ofthe Catalogue of Life during the EU funded projects 4D4Life (2009-2012)and i4Life (EC-FP7-i4Life-project-261555). A notable improvement wascreation of the Catalogue of Life Workbench – a master data managementsystem that allows combining both manual and automated workflows inan assembly process. This development currently allows us to automateupdates of marine sectors from 33 databases provided by WoRMS and thenumber is growing. We are also establishing more robust, standardized datasharing mechanisms between the Catalogue of Life and Global BiodiversityProgrammes - GBIF, Encyclopedia of Life, IUCN Redlist, Barcoding for Lifeand the European Nucleotide Archive. The two projects delivered serviceslike download service, species list matching service and webservices thatusers will benefit from.- 164 -

Theme: Evolution, Systematics and Developmental BiologyPoster Number: 51Cryptic diversity of a ‘cosmopolitan‘ harpacticoid copepod: the “meiofaunaparadox” remainsLesya Garlitska 1 , Tatyana Neretina 2 , Marleen De Troch 3 , Jeffrey G. Baguley 4and Andrey Azovsky 21P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology RAS, Russia2Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia3Ghent University, Belgium 4 University of Nevada, USAEmail: garlitska@gmail.comMany meiofaunal species are widespread or cosmopolitan, despite thesetiny benthic organisms typically have limited dispersal ability and no pelagicpropagation stages (“meiofauna paradox”). Recent molecular-based studieshave shown that some species formerly considered to be cosmopolitan areflocks of cryptic species. We present a study of Nannopus palustris, which wasformerly assumed to be a single, cosmopolitan but highly variable species.Several distant populations (North, Black and White seas, Bay of Bengaland South Carolina, USA) were compared by means of morphological andgenetic analyses. Both mitochondrial and nuclear gene trees, in compliancewith the morphological data, demonstrated significant differences betweenpopulations. Only North and Black Sea populations were geneticallysimilar and morphologically indistinguishable, all others had remarkablemorphological peculiarities, and none of them entirely fitted the “canonical”description of N. palustris. Average genetic divergence was extremely high– 47–66% by Cytb and 2–4% by 28S DNA. Thus, “N. palustris” is in facta complex of pseudo-sibling species which represents the whole spectrumof phylogeographical situations: from local sympatry to broad-rangeentirety of distant populations. At finer spatial scales, little genetic variationwas observed between conspecific populations, indicating high geneticexchange. Comparison of synonymous/nonsynonymous substitutionswithin and between species (McDonald-Kreitman test) did not detect anydeviations from neutral divergence hypothesis. However, geographic andgenetic distances between populations were not correlated, contradictingthe gradual “isolation by distance” model of speciation. No single explanationcan be provided for this phylogeographic pattern. “Meiofauna paradox” isthus a complex phenomenon involving several evolutionary mechanisms.- 165 -

Theme: Evolution, Systematics and Developmental BiologyPoster Number: 52ProtoGSD in the Catalogue of Life – a case study on Mollusca andPlatyhelminthesThomas Kunze, Viktoras Didžiulis & Yuri RoskovCatalogue of Life – i4Life, School of Biological Sciences, Harborne Building,The University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AS, UKEmail: t.kunze@reading.ac.uk, v.didziulis@reading.ac.uk, y.roskov@reading.ac.uk,Mollusca is the second largest phylum in Animalia with estimated validspecies of around 100K. Until recently the Catalogue of Life contained lessthan 15% of valid species of Mollusca and less than 18% of Platyhelminthes.In contrast, the average completeness of the entire CoL is 70%. Often largetaxa with marine, freshwater and terrestrial species, like the phyla Molluscaand Platyhelminthes have no Global Species Databases (GSDs) yet andbecause of this are extremely underrepresented in the CoL. In i4Life (EC-FP7-i4Life-project-261555) the new ProtoGSD procedure was applied.This brings data from different regional databases (e.g. Catalogue of LifeChina, ITIS for North-and Central America, NZIB for New Zealand) andthematic databases (e.g. WoRMS of marine species, FADA of freshwaterspecies) together. The merging was not done automatically because oftaxonomic conflicts. Preparing these new datasets by editorial checks wewere able to make checklists of the phyla mentioned above with a muchhigher completeness. We took WoRMS taxonomy as a master classificationand added data from MolluscaFW (freshwater gastropods), FADA Bivalvia(freshwater bivalves), AFD-Pulmonata (pulmonate land snails) and NZIB.Mollusca has been represented by 14,277 species in AC 2012 but by 41,655in the AC 2013 and its completeness was almost tripled (approx. 45%).Platyhelminthes species has been increased using the same procedure from3,577 in 2012 to 9,166 in AC 2013. ProtoGSD is an efficient procedure toprovide data with global coverage until GSDs become available. Severalcrustacean taxa are candidates for ProtoGSDs.- 166 -

Theme: Evolution, Systematics and Developmental BiologyPoster Number: 25Systematics & evolution in the marine HaploscleridaStephens KM, Redmond, NE, McCormack, GPZoology, School of Natural Sciences & Ryan Institute, NUI GalwayEmail: grace.mccormack@nuigalway.ieOBJECTIVES The Haplosclerida are considered to be one of the mostdifficult groups of sponges from a systematics point of view having largenumbers of species living in a wide number of habitats and possessing avery simple (and plastic) morphology. Molecular data has indicated that thesuborders and many families, genera and even species within the marineHaplosclerida are polyphyletic, being in serious disagreement with theirclassification based on morphology, particularly for the very large Haliclona.Yet, despite the morphological simplicity of this group patterns of skeletalarrangement are also clear, making identification reasonably unambiguousto experienced taxonomists. How can these two approaches be reconciled?METHODS 28S ribosomal RNA and mt cox 1 gene sequence data wasretrieved from species of the notoriously difficult genus Haliclona, includingspecies not previously reported from the NE Altlantic. Morphologicalcharacteristics were mapped onto phylogenetic trees based on moleculardata.RESULTS The Haliclona ‘rosea’ group defined by deWeerdt based onmorphological characters was found to be monophyletic though not allmembers could be sequenced. The skeletal structure of these Haliclona isconsistent with sponges from the Niphatidae. Sequences from H. indistinctaand H. viscosa place them as being allied with Niphates rather than with thetype species of Haliclona. The multispicular tracts found in the choanosomeof these species is likely to be homologous to those found in Niphates, whilethe tracts found in H. oculata are an independent adaptation to reinforce theskeleton in stalked specimens. Diversity and divergence in the monophyleticmarine Haplosclerida is enormous.CONCLUSIONS Finally some agreement between molecular andmorphological data has been found for this group. Sampling is poor in someclades. The marine Haplosclerida should be viewed as a Subclass of theDemospongia.- 167 -

Theme: Evolution, Systematics and Developmental BiologyPoster Number: 53High evolutionary potential of marine zooplanktonK. T. C. A. Peijnenburg 1,2 and E. Goetze 31Naturalis Biodiversity Center, P.O. Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, TheNetherlands.2Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University ofAmsterdam, P.O. Box 94248, 1090 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands.3Department of Oceanography, School of Ocean and Earth Science andTechnology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA.Email: K.T.C.A.Peijnenburg@uva.nlMarine zooplankton have long been viewed as slowly evolving species withwidespread, panmictic populations that have limited capacity to respondadaptively to changing ocean conditions. Here we question this view andargue that zooplankton are well poised for evolutionary responses to globalchange. We review recent studies that challenge the panmixia paradigmfor marine zooplankton, and show that genetic isolation can be achievedat regional spatial scales in pelagic habitats. Population genetic structurealso often varies across taxa, and appears to be linked to the particularecological requirements of the organism. In addition, we present theoreticalarguments that suggest plankton species may respond rapidly to selectionon mildly beneficial mutations due to exceptionally large population size.In combination, these characteristics should facilitate adaptive evolution todistinct oceanographic habitats in the plankton. We illustrate this new viewof zooplankton evolution by showing examples of barriers to dispersal inthe open ocean and data showing rapid evolution and extreme intraspecificgenetic variation in planktonic chaetognaths.- 168 -

Theme: Evolution, Systematics and Developmental BiologyPoster Number: 54Overview of marine taxa suppliers in the Catalogue of LifeYuri Roskov, Viktoras Didžiulis & Thomas KunzeCatalogue of Life – i4Life, School of Biological Sciences, Harborne Building,The University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AS, UKEmail: y.roskov@reading.ac.uk, v.didziulis@reading.ac.uk, t.kunze@reading.ac.ukThe Catalogue of Life (CoL) is aiming to be a taxonomic inventory of allknown living species on earth from all ecological environments. The latestannual edition (AC 2013) of the CoL covers 1.35 million species supplied by132 taxonomic databases around the world (www.catalogueoflife.org/annualchecklist/2013).This might represent about 70% of the global species diversityrecognised by taxonomists. 54 databases in the CoL contain information onmarine species. WoRMS, FishBase, URMO, Hexacorals, ITIS and NZIB areamong major marine species suppliers. In last four years WoRMS naturallybecame a biggest CoL provider for marine taxa. It supplies 101,5K speciesin total through 37 checklists to the CoL. It is only a half of the speciesavailable in WoRMS and it consists 7.5% of entire CoL. Most of strictly orpredominantly marine groups from WoRMS have been already includedin the CoL during 2009-2012. Much more editorial efforts are needed toaccommodate WoRMS checklists for taxa with distinct portion of nonmarinespecies. The CoL is exploring now a procedure for creating proto-GSDs as anew development in EC FP7 i4Life project (261555, 2010-2013). Followingthis, we are taking marine taxa from WoRMS and assembling them withterrestrial and freshwater taxa available in regional and thematic databases(e.g. ITIS, CoL of China, NZOR and FADA). Detection of taxonomic conflictsand intelligent checklist assembly is required. 2013 Annual Checklist containsexperimental proto-GSDs for the phyla Mollusca, Platyhelminthes, Myxozoa,and in the class Clitellata (Annelida) to fill temporarily major gaps in the CoL.- 169 -

Theme: Evolution, Systematics and Developmental BiologyPoster Number: 55The reproductive cycle of the round goby, Neogobius melanostomus:histological patterns of oogenesis and spermatogenesisEwa SokołowskaInstitute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciencesewasokol@iopan.gda.plOBJECTIVES: The round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) is one of themost spectacular invaders that spread from its native Ponto-Caspian regionand successfully colonized new habitats in Europe and North America overthe last decades. Although the fish became a new component of ichthyofaunain various water-basins, still little is known on its reproductive cycle. The aimof this study is histological description of oogenesis, spermatogenesis andannual reproductive cycle of males and females of the round goby in theirnatural habitats.METHODS: The round gobies of both sexes were collected monthly byangling in Gdynia harbour (Gulf of Gdansk, Baltic Sea) over a year. Totalbody weight and gonad weight were measured and gonadosomatic indices(GSI) were calculated. Ovaries and testes were collected, gonads wereembedded in paraffin, sectioned and stained by haematoxylin and eosin,and the successive histological changes in the gonads were described.RESULTS: The round goby spawns from April to June as evidencedby the presence of ovulating females with the highest GSI in May and ofmales with completed spermatogenesis. In June, female sexual activity isdeclined since a post-ovulatory phase predominates in the ovaries. An initialphase of endogenous vitellogenesis in females and the commencement ofspermatogenesis in males start in July-August. A gradual increase of femaleGSI is noted in autumn when exogenous vitellogenesis and synthesis ofsecondary yolk globules takes place.CONCLUSIONS: This is the first histological study carried out on the wildround gobies throughout a year. Comprehensive description of gametogeniccycle together with well-defined fish reproductive behavior are both a keyelement of the round goby life cycle as the non-indigenous species whichimpacts native fish in newly colonized regions in the world.- 170 -

Theme: Mapping Habitats and Determining EcologicalStatusPoster Number: 3Intertidal Seagrass Halodule uninervis : Factors Controlling its Density,Biomass, and shoot length.D. A. Al-Bader*, D. A. Shuail, R. Al-Hasan and P. SulemanDept. of Biological Sciences, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 5969, Safat, 13060,KuwaitEmail: dhiaalbader@yahoo.comThe seagrassHaloduleuninervis is distributed in separate patches alongthe coast of Kuwait but the meadows in KuwaitBay appear to be declining.Physical, chemical and biotic factors were investigated in three contrastinglocations to determine how these affect the biomass, shoot density, andlength of this seagrass. There are a significantly longer leaves, higherbiomass, and shoot density in H. uninervis beds in south compared to that ofDoha in Kuwait bay. At the same time, there are significantly longer leavesin lower intertidal zone compared to upper intertidal. The characteristics oftidal pools formed during low tide seem to determine the extent of exposurethese seagrass endure during low tide. Most of the meadows in the intertidalzone were in tidal pools of loamy sand to sandy sediments. tidal pools at thesouthern sites have a constant influx of seawater that significantly reducedthe temperature and salinity of thesetidal pools during summer. Shootdensity and biomass at all three sites increased during the year, reachinga maximum during July, after which an escape mechanism by which theseplants shed their leaves is evident especially in Doha seagrass population.Doha meadows exist in isolated tidal pools and experience temperaturesabove 45°C. Also, turbidity at Doha is significantly higher, hence reducingthe light availability to these seagrass. However, at all sites the concentrationof heavy metals in the sediment and plant tissues were below toxic levels.The diversity and density of epiphytes on the leaves were also high from latespring to mid-summer, the period of rapid growth of the species.- 171 -

Theme: Mapping Habitats and Determining EcologicalStatusPoster Number: 56Habitat mapping in shallow areas using LiDARBjörkman UlrikaNatural Heritage Services (Metsähallitus), PL 475, VAASA, FinlandEmail: ulrika.bjorkman@metsa.fiShallow marine habitats are some of the oceans most productive areas,however, mapping both the physical and biological characteristics of theseareas often prove to be difficult and time consuming. All the while the needfor high quality decision support systems is steadily increasing. Within theSUPERB project we have tested the use of LiDAR, an airborne laser mappingtechnique generally used for gathering topographic and bathymetric data, asa method for habitat mapping.The LiDAR system (stationed in an aeroplane) sends out two types of lightrays; one infra red (1064 nm) that is reflected back from the surface and onegreen (532 nm) which penetrates the water column and is reflected backfrom the seafloor. The time difference between the return times of these raysgives the water depth and in addition to this there is also a backscatter thatis picked up. This backscatter comes in the shape of waveform variablesand by analysing this and using a supervised classification method one canderive information about the substrate and vegetation on the seafloor.The results from our pilot area in Kvarken (Gulf of Bothnia) are remarkable.The maps that where produced by combining LiDAR-data whit informationcollected during dives and point video filming where accurate and highlyutilizable. Information like this is vital when decisions regarding the use ofmarine areas are concerned. Whit today’s EU directives and a strongerthan ever focus on marine spatial planning reliable data is of the outmostimportance. Preferable we need to collect this data efficiently and the workalso needs to have a reasonable price tag. To make the right decisionregarding the use of our marine areas we do really need to know what liesbeneath the surface.- 172 -

Theme: Mapping Habitats and Determining EcologicalStatusPoster Number: 57Does the Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) rely on sound to communicate?First evidence of acoustic communication in Arctic char.Marta Bolgan, Joanne O’Brien, Martin GammellGalway-Mayo Institute of TechnologyEmail: marta.bolgan@gmail.comMany fish species rely on sound in reproductive activities, territory defense,food competition, homing, navigation or as a response to threat. However,Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) acoustic communication has not beendescribed to date. The aim of this study is to present the first evidence ofArctic char acoustic communication.We conducted a passive listening survey in an Arctic char aquacultureenterprise (Stofnfiskur Ltd., Corrandulla, Galway) using a HP-40 hydrophoneconnected to a HP-26 amplifier and to a portable micro recorder (ZOOMH2N).Recordings (272 min) were analyzed minute by minute by visual andauditory assessment of spectrograms using Cool Edit Pro 2.0 software.Subsequently, sounds with a good signal to noise ratio were analyzed forseveral sound features (duration, number of pulses, pulse period and peakfrequency) using Raven Pro 1.4 software.We detected two different types of sounds: the first is a long, low frequencysound without a pulsed structure while the second is a drum sound(pulsed structure). Drum sounds (N=6) are characterized by 4 pulses (± 1)interspersed by silences of 128 ms (± 40) for a total sound duration of 327ms (± 198) and a peak frequency of 265 Hz (±11).This study is part of a project which aims to record sounds produced byArctic char in different social contexts in captivity. Furthermore, consideringthat is possible to locate marine and freshwater fish in the wild by usinghydrophones to record their sounds (passive listening technique), we willinvestigate whether monitoring for Arctic char sounds in Irish lakes will allowthe identification of important spawning sites and preferred habitats of thisvulnerable species.- 173 -

Theme: Mapping Habitats and Determining EcologicalStatusPoster Number: 59Using GIS Technologies to Asses Human Impacts on Macroalgae andPhanerogams in Fethiye Bay (Muğla-Turkey)Volkan DEMİR 1 , Emine Şükran OKUDAN ASLAN 2 and Sibel ZEKİ 11Istanbul University, Institute of Marine Sciences and Management,Department of Marine Environment, Istanbul, Turkey2Akdeniz University, Faculty of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries, Department ofBasic Aquatic Science, Antalya, Turkey.E-mail: volkandemir@istanbul.edu.trThe aim of this study was to asses human impact on seagrass meadowsand macroalge using GIS technologies in Fethiye Bay. Furthermore weaim to give environmental managers a basic introduction to monitoring andmanagement of Mediterranean vegetation.The study was carried out in the Fethiye Bay (Mediterranean Sea, Turkey).Sampling was done at 15 stations in 10 – 14 August 2008 and 31 March - 4April 2009. Samples were collected at depths ranging from 0,1 to 40 metersby skin diving and scientific diving.A total of 4 seagrass species (Posidonia oceanica, Zostera marina, Cymodoceanodosa ve Halophila stipulacea) and 16 macoalgae (Cystoseira crinita, C.spinosa, C. compressa, Caulerpa prolifera, Dasycladus vermicularis, Janiarubens, Laurencia obtusa, Corallina officinalis, Lithophyllum byssoides,Liagora viscida, Padina pavonica, Taonia atomaria, Titanoderma trochanter,Flabellia petiolata, Sargassum vulgare, Sargassum acinarium) species weredetermined with their distributions.Geographical information system (GIS) is used for mapping human impactswith macroalgae and seagrass distribution in order to derive better techniquesfor monitoring and analysing these deteriorating environments.- 175 -

Theme: Mapping Habitats and Determining EcologicalStatusPoster Number: 43Macroalgae of coastal rocky communities offer a robust indicator for the ecologicalassessment of oligotrophic Mediterranean shoresD. Kletou 1 , J. M. Hall-Spencer 1 , K. Tsiamis 21School of Marine Science and Engineering, Plymouth University, UK2Section of Ecology & Systematics, Athens University, GreeceEmail: jhall-spencer@plymouth.ac.ukThis study is the first to assess the seasonal responsiveness of themacroalgal Water Framework Directive Ecological Evaluation Index (EEI)along a gradient of coastal anthropogenic off Cyprus. Vasiliko Bay, southCyprus, is a semi-enclosed bay that has some of the most industrialisedcoastline of the Mediterranean as well as undeveloped areas. A cementfactory, three harbours, a military naval base, a power station, several fishfarms and tourist beaches are all present and construction work has begunon a desalination unit and a natural gas storage and processing unit. Thereare also areas with limestone rocky shores that are not developed, havelimited public access and so have much less anthropogenic activity.To assess the ecological status of this coastline, we monitored sixteenshallow sublittoral stations along 10 km of coast. At each station replicate0.04 m2 macroalgal samples were removed in the summer 2012 and spring2013 and estimates of % coverage of each species were made. The EEIcontinuous formula (EEI-c) revealed significant macroalgal community shiftsand a high sensitivity of the index to those macroalgal communities thatcharacterize Cyprus; using this scheme impacted areas had ‘Bad’ ecologicalstatus, bathing waters were ‘Good’ and areas outside the Bay were classedas ‘High’.Our study revealed exactly the types of macroalgal community shifts thatthe EEI-c scheme predicts, with dominance of late successional species inunimpacted areas, dominance of fast growing species in impacted areasand co-dominance of these forms in moderately impacted conditions. Thisdemonstrates that the macroalgal EEI indicator may be of widespread usefor implementation of the Water Framework Directive in the oligotrophicEastern Mediterranean.- 176 -

Theme: Mapping Habitats and Determining EcologicalStatusPoster Number: 60The first incidence of small synthetic particles identified in the Irish marineenvironmentAmy Lusher, Ian O’Connor & Rick OfficerGalway-Mayo Institute of TechnologyEmail: amie755@yahoo.co.ukContamination of marine habitats by plastic debris is recognised as anenvironmental problem and has been identified on a global scale. Astandardised protocol for monitoring the distribution and abundance of smallplastic debris in the marine environment is lacking. We present our novelsampling method for easy, fast and continuous extraction of particles fromwater samples. This method was used during surveys on the RV CelticExplorer in the North East Atlantic to identify the presence and characteristicsof non–biological synthetic particles. Analysis of 164 samples collectedbetween January and March 2013 found synthetic particles in 100% of thesamples. Particles were assigned to four product type categories: fibres,fragments, raw plastic pellets and abrasive bead scrubbers, and five sizecategories: 10 mm. Fibresmade up the majority of particles collected and the most prevalent colourswere black and blue. The most common size class in length was between1–2.5 mm. Further analysis will reveal if there is any statistical differencebetween sampling locations. Whilst the quantity of plastic particles waslow, their ubiquity in the samples and predominance of particles less than5 mm implies that their persistence is a result of continuous breakdown offishing ropes and plastic items in the marine environment. Other inputs couldinclude sewage and wastewater disposal before widespread distribution byocean currents. This study highlights the utility of a standardised samplingmethod for continued use at sea for mapping the distribution and abundanceof microplastics over different spatial and temporal periods.- 177 -

Theme: Mapping Habitats and Determining EcologicalStatusPoster Number: 61High Resolution, Time-Series Acoustic Surveys Identify Ecological Benefits ofWindfarm DevelopmentsBryony Pearce 1 , Angela De-Burgh Thomas 2 , Wilsher, W 2 , Jose M. Fariñas-Franco 3 , Jack Pitts 21The Marine Institute, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, UK2Marine Ecological Surveys Ltd, Palace Yard Mews, Bath, UK3Centre for Marine Biodiversity & Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences,John Muir Building, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UKEmail: bryonypearce@hotmail.comBaseline surveys at the Thanet offshore wind farm site revealed extensiveSabellaria spinulosa reefs which are listed in Annex I of the EU HabitatsDirective. Detailed mapping of the extent and quality of this habitat usinghigh resolution side-scan sonar data and seabed imagery, allowed theconstruction to go ahead with individual turbines being positioned in such away that damage to the most important parts of the reef was avoided.The reef extent and condition is being monitored on an ongoing basis throughrepeated high resolution acoustic surveys with associated ground truthing.Comparisons between the initial characterisation and pre-constructionsurveys revealed significant variability in the extent of this habitat which mayin-part have been caused by damage from commercial fishing activities. Itwas hoped that the once constructed the windfarm would limit the exposureof the reef to commercial beam trawlers which target this sensitive habitatbecause of the known association with flatfish and this has now beenproven by the first post-construction monitoring survey. Just one year afterconstruction the reefs have been found to have grown in extent and improvedin their condition, highlighting a direct ecological benefit to the constructionof offshore windfarms.This case study highlights the important application of seabed mapping in amarine planning and monitoring context and demonstrates the value of suchmethods in advancing our understanding of the interaction between offshorewind farm developments and the benthic habitat upon which they are placed.- 178 -

Theme: Mapping Habitats and Determining EcologicalStatusPoster Number: 62CORALLIGENOUS HABITAT MAPPING USING MULTIBEAM SONAR DATA ANDBENTHIC TERRAIN MODELP.A Zapata-Ramírez 1 , C. Huete-Stauffer 1 , M. Palma 2 ; S. Coppo 3 , C Cerrano 11Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell’Ambiente (DiSVA), UniversitàPolitecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche – Monte Dago, I-60100 Ancona,Italy2UBICA s.r.l., via San Siro 6 int.1, 16124 Genova, Italy3Settore Ecosistema Costiero e Ciclo delle Acque, Regione Liguria, ViaGabriele D’Annunzio 111, Genova, ItalyIn this study we assess the capacity of the Benthic Terrain Model data fordiscriminating the diverse coralligenous habitats along the Ligurian coast(Italy) and for providing baseline maps for future monitoring of the changesand evolution of coralligenous environments in the Mediterranean basin. Wetest the effectiveness of the model and the geophysical substrate propertiessuch as depth, slope, aspect, rugosity, and geomorphic zones, for detectingthe location of known coralligenous communities in the region. Multibeamsonar data were used in combination with checkpoint ground sampling andclassified using a benthic terrain model (in ArcGis 10.1). Preliminary resultsshow the potential of the model to identify well-known areas and to forecastother potential coralligenous outcrops located along the Italian costs. Theresults presented here fits in the regional spatial mapping of coralligenousenvironments (The Marine Strategy Framework Directive, MSFD: 2008/56/EC), allowing the production of high quality bathymetric and habitat mapsas one of the first requirement for a sustainable management. Therefore,providing measures to achieve or maintain Good Environmental Status(GES) by 2020. Coralligenous ecosystems are not only of great importancefrom a natural history perspective but may also be important for CO2regulation, contain species with biotechnological potential and are relatedwith the occurrences of several important commercial species. Consequently,sustainable management and exploitation of the marine benthic habitats isone of the most important concerns of the last decade. Although the lastyears many knowledge is gained on the coralligenous, it’s actual distributionstill need to be characterized, especially in the mesophotic zone. The resultsmodels can be of great value for policy makers and the obtained map mayaddress to detailed 3D characterization of benthic assemblages, building akey baseline for coralligenous monitoring.- 179 -

Theme: Sustainable Management of the OceanPoster Number: 63Genomic resources of the AZTI´s Marine Biotic Index species: an endeavor infacilitating monitoring and assessment in marine watersEva Aylagas, Naiara Rodriguez-Ezpeleta and Ángel BorjaMarine Research Division, AZTI-Tecnalia Foundation, Txatxarramendi ugarteas/n, Bizkaia (Spain)Email: eaylagas@azti.esMeasuring the response of marine communities to environmentalperturbations is a scientific challenge. Marine macrobenthos is a commonlyused bioindicator, as these organisms reside in sediments, wherecontaminants accumulate, and have low mobility, which allows them tointegrate environmental signals over a long period of time. The AMBI (AZTI´sMarine Biotic Index) provides a measure of ecological quality status, basedon the proportion of the five ecological groups into which the benthic speciesare classified. This classification requires a time consuming separationand identification of the samples by expert taxonomists. As an alternative,DNA barcoding has the potential to increase accuracy of benthic speciesidentification and, combined with metagenetic analysis of bulk environmentalsamples, also to calculate the AMBI of a large quantity of sites in just a fewdays. Here, we present the resources available to develop a metagenomicsbased AMBI. Public databases have been interrogated for sequences of theuniversally used mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 (CO1) and nuclear18S ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) genes of the >6000 species included inthe most recent AMBI list. For each gene, alignments have been performedand the adequacy of universal and group specific primer pairs describedin the literature has been assessed. Additionally, new sequences from keyspecies of the AMBI for which no genetic resources were available havebeen obtained. If successful, the use of a ‘genomic-AMBI’ could representa milestone in facilitating monitoring and ecological status assessment ofmarine waters.- 180 -

Theme: Sustainable Management of the OceanPoster Number: 64DEVELOPING SCIENCE-BASED MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR THEENVIRONMENTAL AND COMMERCIAL SUSTAINABILITY OF NATIVEOYSTERSCass Bromley, Queen’s University, BelfastEmail: cbromley01@qub.ac.ukPopulations of the European flat or native oyster, Ostrea edulis L., havedeclined over the past 150 years, largely as a result of overexploitation,but also disease, pollution, and sporadic recruitment. Under Europeanlegislation, managers must increasingly consider sustainability from bothfisheries and ecosystem perspectives. New work has focused on O. edulisbiology and ecology within the Lough Foyle fishery on the border of NorthernIreland/ Republic of Ireland to develop science-based guidance for fisheryand restoration managers. This includes investigations of reproductivecycles via the examination of brooding oysters and bivalve larvae in theplankton. In 2012, summer water temperatures rarely reached >16°C,and the results indicated that fluctuations in temperature correlated withfluctuations in numbers brooding and bivalve larval abundance. This and lownumbers brooding (2.8% of adults cf. 8-12% in 2011) support the hypothesisof cyclical and temperature dependent reproduction. The hypotheses thathabitat quality and reduced numbers of live oysters limit spat settlement wereinvestigated. Pairs of creels, one in each pair containing oyster shell and theother containing oyster shell plus 15 live oysters, were placed alongside 6 x2ha plots, with three randomly assigned a “harrowed” treatment (a baglessdredge drawn over the bed to turn over fouled shell and dislodge silt). Agenerally low spatfall in 2012 resulted in a null result for spat settlementfor either treatment and the experiment is being repeated in 2013 to furtherevaluate interannual recruitment cycles. The creels containing live oystersapparently act as a proxy for healthy oyster “reef”, with significantly higherdiversity of associated species than those with shell only (p=0.02). Theresearch is being used as a basis for further experimental oyster regenerationareas.- 181 -

Theme: Sustainable Management of the OceanPoster Number: 65Developing best practice for Ostrea edulis fisheries production in Loch RyanLawrence Eagling, Queens University BelfastEmail: leagling01@qub.ac.ukOstrea edulis fisheries all around the United Kingdom have been in declineover the last century, due to factors such as disease and over fishing. Herethe current management techniques used within the O.edulis fishery atLoch Ryan are assessed and sustainable measures for the future of thefishery investigated. This was achieved through regular monthly samplingof oysters. Biometric data were collected onboard the fishing vessel andincluded separate sub-samples from the entire catch and oysters used forrelaying and marketing. Histological analysis of the gonads will be conductedover the summer months, to investigate sex ratios and the gametogeniccycle. To determine the changing stock density of the Loch historical recordshave been analysed alongside current stock and density estimationsbased on dredge efficiency and underwater camera surveys. Catch trendstogether with environment data will be used to advise on future sustainablemeasures. The majority of experiments are still in progress. However, theresults to date include an analysis of the current management techniquesemployed within the fishery and a brief analysis of the historical records.Several months’ worth of biometric data has also been collected indicatingthe size and weight distribution within the Loch. Data from the fishing seasonfor this year so far has been collected including total landings per day andthe amount of oysters relaid alongside the cultch collected that day. TheLoch Ryan fishery is so far disease free and can be managed well with onlyone boat. The information gathered from Loch Ryan could help to implementbetter management within other O.edulis fisheries to help develop strategiesthat ensure sustainability.- 182 -

Theme: Sustainable Management of the OceanPoster Number: 66Towards the standardization of an innovative tool for the marine qualityevaluation: integrate assessment of motility in seabream cryopreservedsemen1Fabbrocini A., 1 D’Adamo R., 1 Pelosi S., 4,5 Oliveira L.F.J. 3 Del Prete F.3Langellotti A.L., 3 Rinna F., 5 Silvestri F. 6 Vitiello V. , and 2,3 Sansone G.1Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Scienze Marine, UOS Lesina(FG), Italy2Dip. Biologia, Università degli Studi Federico II, Napoli, Italy3CRIAcq, Università degli Studi Federico II, Portici (NA), Italy4Inst. Oceanografia, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil5CAPES, Min. Educação, Brazil6ISPRA, Livorno, Italy.Email: adele.fabbrocini@fg.ismar.cnr.itCurrent strategies for the sustainable management of marine environmentneed for “quick response” tools for a rapid and easy-to-perform evaluationof water quality. As a part of a wider study aimed at the standardization ofan ecotoxicological test using cryopreserved seabream (Sparus aurata)spermatozoa, the objective of this work was the characterization of the spermmotility parameters used as endpoints in terms of sensitivity, reliability andhandiness of evaluation. The selected sperm motility parameters (activationtime, total motility duration, % rapid sperm, velocity, highest motility duration)were assessed by both visual and computer-assisted methods afterincubation of cryopreserved semen in scaled concentrations of a dumpsiteleachate from 0.1 to 1% that in a previous series of tests gave a clear doseresponseeffect. Embryotoxicity test on sea urchin was also performed asa control. Rapid sperm percentage, velocity and highest motility durationproved to be more sensitive, with EC50 levels around 0.2% and comparableto those recorded with embryotoxicity test, while total motility duration wasthe less affected by the used reference toxicant. As the evaluated motilityparameters reflect different spermatic cell targets, differences in parameterssensitivity thresholds may discriminate toxicants that hamper cell functionalityin different pathways, giving at the same time an overall picture of the spermphysiological response.- 183 -

Theme: Sustainable Management of the OceanPoster Number: 14Influence of chemical contamination on biodiversity of benthic marinebacteriaMagagnini Mirko, Giaccaglia Luca, Armeni MonicaEcotechsystems s.r.l., Via Caduti del Lavoro 27, 60131 Ancona (Italy)Email: giaccaglia@ecots.itMarine coastal areas are often subjected to a strong anthropogenic impact,deriving from a continuous and intense input of organic matter and chemicalcontaminants in form of urban and industrial discharges. This is particularlyimportant in semi-closed and highly exploited areas, as harbors, whereanthropogenic activities contributes to the occurrence of a high risk for themarine ecosystems healthiness. In this study, the Ancona harbor (AdriaticSea) was selected as a case study for the study of possible relationshipsamong chemical pollution in marine sediments and biodiversity of marinebacteria. The analysis of bacterial diversity was performed by means of aDNA-based fingerprinting method (automated ribosomal intergenic spaceranalysis, ARISA), and a distance-based multivariate analysis for a linearmodel was used to investigate possible links between bacterial diversity,heavy metals concentration and concentration of total hydrocarbons.Results revealed that bacterial communities colonizing contaminated and notcontaminated sediments in the Ancona harbor were characterized by differentbiodiversity. Moreover, diversity and abundance of bacterial assemblages incontaminated sediments displayed different responses to the various kindand levels of contamination discovered in sediments, suggesting that differentpollutants may play distinct roles in controlling bacterial assemblages insediment layers. The results indicated the polluted sediments of the Anconaharbor as a promising environmental niche to be further investigated for theselection of valuable bacterial resources and processes to be exploited in theambit of marine bioremediation approaches, and demonstrated at the sametime the need to deepen the possible relationship among autochthonousbacterial assemblages and pollutants.- 184 -

Theme: Sustainable Management of the OceanPoster Number: 15Synergistic effects of sodium hypochlorite and temperature on sea urchin(Paracentrotus lividus) gametesLuca Giaccaglia 1 , Monica Armeni 1 , Mirko Magagnini 1 , Antonio Dell’Anno 2 ,Adele Fabbrocini 31EcoTechSystems s.r.l., Via Caduti del Lavoro 27, 60131 Ancona (Italy)2Department of Marine Science and Environment, Polytechnic University ofMarche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona (Italy)3Istituto di Scienze Marine – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche ISMAR-CNR,via Pola 4, 71010 Lesina (FG), ItalyEmail: giaccaglia@ecots.itThe effects of the interaction between temperature and sodium hypochlorite(one of the most employed biocide in industrial Cooling Water andRegasification Systems) on gametes of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus(Lmk, 1816) were investigated by means of fertilization and sperm motilityecotoxicological tests. The sperm cells were exposed to different sodiumhypochlorite solutions in artificial seawater and incubated at 13 and 18°C,thus the sperm motili ty parameters and the fertilization ability were analysedby means of microscopic techniques.The results of both motility and fertilization tests showed a significantinteraction between temperature and chlorine, with higher motility andfertilization inhibition levels at 18°C than at 13°C, even when chlorine wassignificantly below th e limit values reported by the international legislationinhering industrial seawater discharges. The obtained results suggested thatthe effects of chlorinated seawater inputs should be evaluated not only infunction of the residual oxidant concentration at the discharge point but alsothe temperature has to be considered as a crucial factor in order to providea useful support to the environmental decision making process. Moreover,in matter of aquatic ecosystem monitoring, and in particular in presence ofvolatile or unstable toxicants such as chlorine, sensitive and short-term testsproviding early-warning signals such as fertilization and sperm motility testscould represent useful tools aimed at preventing ecological threatens.- 185 -

Theme: Sustainable Management of the OceanPoster Number: 67Faunal Recolonization Of Submarine Mine Tailings: An Intertidal Experimentto Investigate the Influence of Sediment Organic Carbon ContentBarbro Taraldset Haugland 1 *, Stefan Bolam 2 , Andrew K. Sweetman 31Department of Biology University of Bergen Postboks 7803 N-5020 BergenNORWAY2The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS)Pakefield Road Lowestoft Suffolk NR33 0HT UK3Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) Thormøhlensgate 53D N-5006BergenNorway (Now at Marine Environment Department International ResearchInstitute of Stavanger (IRIS) )Email: Barbro.Haugland@gmail.comWe present the initial results from a study focussing on to which extentincreased organic carbon has influenced recolonisation of so-called‘submarine tailing placements’ (STPs). The possible mechanisms forrecolonsation alongside implications for increased biological recovery ofSTPs are also discussed.Current financial estimates of mineral mining in Norway are about 12 billionNOK per year. Most of the industry is located close to the coast and theinert waste produced (‘tailings’, granulometrically similar to sand) is currentlydeposited in adjacent fjords as STPs. STP deposits in Norway range from300,000 to 4 million tons/ year and may be 10s of metres thick. ActiveSTPs smother the local resident biological assemblages and subsequentrecovery is dependent upon subsequent recolonisation by larval, juvenile oradult stages of the various species. However, observations of current sitesindicate that recolonisation and subsequent ecosystem recovery is slow andthis is hypothesised to result from the lack of organic carbon within suchdeposits. To test this, we conducted an experiment in the Crouch Estuary,Essex (UK) during April 2012 to assess whether increased organic mattercontent of mine tailings leads to an enhancement in faunal recolonisation.The project was part of the Norwegian Research Council funded project,IMPTAIL (IMProved submarine TAILings placements in Norwegian fjords).The experiment, based on a randomized block design, comprised tailingstreatments containing different concentrations of organic carbon (0, 0.5,1, 2.5 & 5% organic carbon) Samples for fauna, sediment grain size, andcarbon and nitrogen content were collected at T = 0, 45, 115, 180 and 365d.REDOX potentials (1, 2 and 4 cm sediment depth) were also measured foreach plot on each occasion.- 186 -

Theme: Sustainable Management of the OceanPoster Number: 68The velvet swimming crab (Necora puber) fishery in Northern Ireland: a studyof populations and welfare to enhance sustainabilityLaura Hinchliff, Prof. Jaimie Dick, Dr. Julia Sigwart, Dr. Lynn GilmoreQueen’s University of BelfastEmail: lhinchliff01@qub.ac.ukVelvet swimming crabs (Necora puber) are traditionally consumed bysouthern European nations, where the collapse of crab fisheries has enableddevelopment of the fishery in Northern Ireland as a commercially significantsector. However, there is currently little data on which to base the sustainableexploitation of this species and reported declining catches has causedconcern among local fishermen. Current research is focusing on studies ofabundance and population structure in Strangford Lough and the Irish Seacoast of the Ards peninsula, which will provide important baseline informationfor N. puber fisheries and may help to determine breeding seasons, moultpatterns and seasonal catch per unit effort. Within the N. Ireland crab fishery,N. puber are caught as an export species and transported live (as a guaranteeof quality) to the Mediterranean. Mortality may be high during transport,devaluing the catch and resulting in more crabs being caught to compensatefor losses en route. Controlled laboratory experiments and physiologicalstudies will enable the assessment of stress through handling and otherconditions experienced during capture and transport. Levels of crustaceanhyperglycaemic hormone increase during periods of stressed and this willbe assessed to determine the welfare of the animals, and provide evidencebased recommendations for best practice of handling and transport.- 187 -

Theme: Sustainable Management of the OceanPoster Number: 69Otolith shape analysis of blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou), a key toolfor sustainable managementJ. Keating 1 , E. Mullins 2 , R. Officer 1 , and D. Brophy 11Marine and Freshwater Research Centre, Galway-Mayo IT2Marine Institute, Galway, IrelandEmail: james.keating@gmit.ieBlue whiting in the NE Atlantic has been of commercial interest since the1970’s. Evidence from morphorometrics, meristics, oceanographic modeling,genetics and otolith microstructure suggest complexity in the structure of thestock, but the boundaries between stock components or the degree to whichthey overlap at the spawning grounds is not certain and they are currentlyassessed and managed as a single stock. Fisheries assessment modelstypically work under the assumption that populations are discrete groupswith homogenous ecological characteristics. If a meta-population was to bemisidentified and biomass from one discrete unit was applied to another, thiscould result in a reduction, or collapse of the less productive components.Otolith shape analysis is useful as it can identify groups of fish which mayhave been spatially or temporally discrete at some stage in their life history.In this study, blue whiting were sampled from the northern and southernextremes of the spawning ground and from around the Porcupine Bankand Rockall Trough. Spatial variation in otolith shape was examined in anattempt to elucidate boundaries between stock components. The resultsshowed that fish at the northern and southern extremes of the spawningwere distinct in terms of otolith shape and these two groups appeared to mixin the area around 54° N. These findings support the existence of a northernand southern component in the blue whiting stock which may overlap tovarying degrees in the centre of the spawning distribution. We discuss howwe can developed this method further to calculate an index of the degree towhich mixing occurs; which can be incorporated into the assessment, andsubsequent sustainable management of this species.- 188 -

Theme: Sustainable Management of the OceanPoster Number: 22Identifying common pressure pathways from a complex network of humanactivities to support ecosystem-based managementAntony M. Knights, Rebecca S. Koss, and Leonie A. RobinsonSchool of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, NicholsonBuilding, Liverpool. L69 3GP. UK.Marine Environment Laboratory, National University of Ireland Galway, RyanInstitute, University Road, GalwayEmail: antony.knights@nuigalway.ieThe marine environment is heavily exploited but unintentional consequencescause wide-ranging negative effects to its characteristics. Linkageframeworks (e.g. DPSIR) are commonly used to describe an interactionbetween human activities and ecological characteristics of the ecosystem,but as each linkage is viewed independently, the diversity of pressures thataffect those characteristics may not be identified or managed effectively.Here, we demonstrate an approach for using linkages to build a simplenetwork to capture the complex relationships arising from multiple sectorsand their activities. Using data analysis tools common to ecology, we showhow linkages can be placed into mechanistically similar groups. Managementmeasures can be combined into fewer and more simplified measures thattarget groups of pressures rather than individual pressures, which is likely toincrease compliance and the success of the measure while reducing the costof enforcement. Given that conservation objectives (regional priorities) canvary, we also demonstrate by way of a case study example from the MarineStrategy Framework Directive, how management priorities might changeand illustrate how the approach can be used to identify sectors for controlthat best support the conservation objectives.- 189 -

Theme: Sustainable Management of the OceanPoster Number: 70Ship Detection Using Sar Data To Monitor Boat Anchoring Pressure OnPosidonia oceanica MeadowsF. Pieralice, R. Proietti, P. La Valle, G. Giorgi, M. Mazzolena1, A . Taramelli, L.NicolettiISPRA (Institute for Environmental Protection and Research), via V. Brancati,48 (Rome , Italy), Galileian Plus S.r.l. (Rome, Italy)Email: paola.lavalle@isprambiente.itPosidonia oceanica beds are identified as a priority habitat for conservationunder the European Union’s Habitats Directive (Dir 92/43/CEE). Degradationof P. oceanica meadows can be linked to both natural processes (geological,meteorological, biological) and human activities (mechanical damage,sewage discharge and discharge of industrial effluents containing toxiccompounds). Among the most important direct impacts on P. oceanica,boat anchoring was also found to have a destructive impact on meadows.Literature reports that in sites frequently visited by pleasure boats, there issignificant removal of seagrasses by boat anchors. If the anchoring densityand frequency are too high, the subsequent erosion may be accelerated byincreased water movement caused by boating activities. In this study wepresent an “easy” procedure based on ship detection using SAR data inorder to evaluate and monitor impacts on P. oceanica meadows induced byanchored boats and ships close to the coast. The use of Synthetic ApertureRadar (SAR) data for the automatic extraction of information layers is widelydiscussed in literature and, in particular, many ship detection applicationshave been considered in the past years, especially regarding surveillanceand security in harbor area. In this study, an environmental application isproposed, exploiting satellite data to monitor in an efficient way sensitivemarine areas. The environment monitoring by remote sensing offersmany advantage, in particular satellite observations allows repeatability ofanalysis, obtaining contiguous quantitative data over large areas in a shortperiod of time. Moreover SAR sensors can acquire images with any weatherconditions, since their signal penetrates haze, clouds and rain, guaranteeingthe monitoring continuity. Generally, the ship detection algorithms are basedon a Constant False Alarm Rate (CFAR) with a data-adaptive K-distributionto model the fluctuating intensity returns from the sea clutter and to identifypixels with significant intensity excursions. These algorithms select brightpixel, which contain radiometric information to keep, with a statistical Constant- 190 -

False Alarm Rate (CFAR) analysis, that fixes a very low probability of falsealarm, corresponding to a high threshold for pixels brightness. Presently, lastgeneration satellites offer the possibility to obtain images with high spatialresolution, since this kind of application can be extended also to smallerships and boats. We highlight that ship detection could became a useful toolfor the conservation and protection actions on Posidonia oceanica meadowsin the frame of the Habitats Directive. Moreover, this procedure could bean easy tool to monitor the abrasion pressure due to boat anchoring, asexpected in the framework of the European Marine Strategy.- 191 -

Theme: Sustainable Management of the OceanPoster Number: 71Tools available for Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the UnitedKingdom that enhance ecological value in areas vulnerable to coastal floodrisk: A Review and synthesisAlexandra Leeper,University of Plymouth, UKEmail: alexandra.leeper@students.plymouth.ac.ukCoastal managers in The United Kingdom are subject to increasingly complexdemands to consider not just socio-economic factors in decision making, butalso to incorporate ecological factors, and develop holistic strategies for adynamic environment under changing conditions.This review aims to collate the extensive literature regarding tools availableto coastal managers for the enhancement of ecological value in areasvulnerable to coastal flood risk within the context of Integrated CoastalZone Management (ICZM). A synthesis follows that critically analyses thesuitability of a Decision Support System (DSS) tool being developed as partof the 7th European Union framework project THESEUS to the principles ofICZM.This paper found that while there are a wide range of tools available to thesupport of ICZM, many of these tools are either not widely publicised, ordeveloped in environments that treat socio-economics, flood risk, and ecologyseparately. The synthesis found that the DSS developed by THESEUS metmost of the principles required for ICZM, however there were some areaswhere improvements could be made to optimise this tool for UK coastalmanagers, and several recommendations are discussed.- 192 -

Theme: Sustainable Management of the OceanPoster Number: 72Monitoring a toxic bloom of Alexandrium minutum in the North Channel ofCork Harbour using a newly developed microarray and multiplex SPR sensorchipGary R McCoy 1 , Sara McNamee 2 , Katrina Campbell 2 , Christopher T Elliott 2 ,Gerard TA Fleming 1 , and Robin Raine 31Ryan Institute, School of Natural Sciences, Discipline of Microbiology,National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland2Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, QueensUniversity, Malone Road, Belfast, BT9 5HN, Northern Ireland3Ryan Institute, School of Natural Science, Department of Earth and OceanSciences, National University of Ireland, Galway, IrelandE-mail: g.mccoy3@nuigalway.ieTraditional methods of identification and enumeration of phytoplanktoncan be somewhat ambiguous when identifying specimens to species level.Molecular methods of detection and quantification provide the means ofmeasuring the cellular DNA and RNA content to calculate the number of cellspresent. Blooms of Alexandrium have occurred annually during the summermonths in the North Channel of Cork Harbour on the South Coast of Ireland.This study monitored an extensive bloom of the toxin producing Alexandriumminutum from initiation to termination during the summer of 2011 with theuse of the MIDTAL (Microarrays for the Detection of Toxic Algae) microarrayand the prototype multiplexing surface plasmon resonance (multi SPR)biosensor. Microarray signal intensities from the third generation MIDTALmicroarray and toxin results from three testing platforms of the prototypemultiplex SPR biosensor, commercial CER ELISA and HPLC were comparedagainst Light Microscopy counts. The main aim was to demonstrate the useof these methodologies to support the common fisheries policy and aidnational monitoring agenises by providing a faster and more accurate meansof identifying and quantifying the harmful phytoplankton community and theirtoxins in natural water samples.- 193 -

Theme: Biodiscovery and BioresourcesPoster Number: 4Subsurface associations of Acaryochloris-related picocyanobacteria withoil-utilizing bacteria in the Arabian Gulf water body: promising consortia in oilsediment bioremediation.Dhia Al-Bader, Eliyas M, Rayan R, Radwan S.Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, KuwaitUniversity,Safat, Kuwait.Email: dhiaalbader@yahoo.comTwo picocyanobacterial strains related to Acaryochloris were isolatedfrom the Arabian Gulf, 3 m below the water surface, one from the northshore and the other from the south shore of Kuwait. Both strains weremorphologically, ultrastructurally, and albeit to a less extend, phylogeneticallysimilar to Acaryochloris. However, both isolates lacked chlorophyll d andproduced instead chlorophyll a, as the major photosynthetic pigment.Both picocyanobacterial isolates were associated with oil-utilizing bacteriain the magnitude of 10(5) cells g(-1). According to their 16S rRNA genesequences, bacteria associated with the isolate from the north were affiliatedto Paenibacillus sp., Bacilluspumilus, and Marinobacteraquaeolei, but thoseassociated with the isolate from the south were affiliated to Bacillus asahiiand Alcanivoraxjadensis. These bacterial differences were probably due toenvironmental variations. In batch cultures, the bacterial consortia in thenonaxenic biomass as well as the pure bacterial isolates effectively consumedcrude oil and pure aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, including very highmolecular-weightcompounds. Water and diethylether extracts from thephototrophic biomass enhanced growth of individual bacterial isolates andtheir hydrocarbon-consumption potential in batch cultures. It was concludedthat these consortia could be promising in bioremediation of hydrocarbonpollutants, especially heavy sediments in the marine ecosystem.- 194 -

Theme: Biodiscovery and BioresourcesPoster Number: 73Developing Bioresources in European Aquaculture: Optimising CultureConditions forUlvella lens.Colin Hannon 1 , Rick A. Officer 1 , Jean Le Dorven 2 , John Chamberlain 31Marine & Freshwater Research Centre, Galway Mayo Institute of Technology,Galway, Ireland.2Boet Mor Seafoods Ltd, Connemara, Galway, Ireland.3Dunmanus Seafoods Ltd, Durrus, Bantry, Co. CorkEmail: hannon.colin@gmail.comThe Japanese development of mass culture techniques for Ulvella lensduring the 1980’s for aquaculture has spurred on the development of rearingtechniques for abalone and sea urchins in producing countries. Howeverthere has not been any in-depth evaluation of culture methods for U. lens, northe development of a new robust method for aquaculture operators. The useof this known inducer for settlement of veliger larvae has not been employedon a commercial scale in Ireland or in European aquaculture systems. Anew methodology described here has produced a three-fold increase in thesettlement of sea urchins (Paracentrotus lividius) and is recommended foradoption by the European aquaculture industry.- 195 -

Theme: Biodiscovery and BioresurcesPoster Number: 74SPECIAL - Sponge Cells and Enzymes for Innovative AppLicationsM. Milanese 1 , on behalf of the SPECIAL Consortium 21Studio Associato Gaia snc, Genova – Italy27FP KBBE GA 266033; University of Minho, Portugal; Tel Aviv University,Israel; Porifarma BV, Netherlands; Studio Associato Gaia SNC dei DottoriAntonio Sara e Martina Milanese, Italy; Universita degli Studi di Genova, Italy;Universitaetsmedizin der Johannes Gutenberg-Universitaet Mainz, Germany;National Research Center for Geoanalysis, China (People’s Republic of);Karolinska Institutet, Sweden; Atrahasis SRL, Italy; University of Azores,Portugal; NanotecMARIN GmbH, Germany url: http://www.project-special.eu/E-mail: info@project-special.eu; m.milanese@studioassociatogaia.comRunning from December 2010 to November 2013, the SPECIAL project aimsat delivering breakthrough technologies for the biotechnological productionof cellular metabolites and extracellular biomaterials from marine sponges.These include a platform technology to produce secondary metabolites froma wide range of sponge species, a novel in vitro method for the production ofbiosilica and recombinant technology for the production of marine collagen.Alongside this research, the project is focused on applications, namelypotential anticancer drugs and novel biomedical/industrial applicationsof biosilica and collagen, hereby taking advantage of the unique physicochemicalproperties of these extracellular sponge products. Among theresults achieved so far, a large variety of sponges from different habitats,namely Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Azores and Caribbean Sea (Curaçao)have been collected and identified; extracts have been screened for antitumoractivity and hits have been further tested and developed; protocolsfor the in vitro production of secondary metabolites have been developed;the successful mariculture of two species has been established; spongederivedcollagen has been extracted and characterised, along with thegenes regulating its expression; nature made scaffolds for tissue engineeringapproaches have been investigated; the in vitro culture of sponge cells with aprimmorph development state has been achieved. SPECIAL newsletters areavailable through the project website (http://www.project-special.eu/), whilevideos on project topics are available through the project SPECIAL YouTubechannel (http://www.youtube.com/user/projectSPECIALeu).- 196 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyPoster Number: 75Zosteraceae seagrasses modelling: state of the art and milestonesAzevedo, A. 1 , Lillebø, A.I. 2 , Lencart e Silva, J. 1 , Dias, J.M. 11CESAM & Physics Department., University of Aveiro, Campus Universitáriode Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal2CESAM & Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitáriode Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalEmail: de.azevedo@ua.ptSeagrass, marine rooted plants, form complex and highly productivemeadows in transitional and coastal waters. They play major functionsand provide important services for the surrounding ecosystem. However,a worldwide decline and fragmentation of seagrass meadows have beenverified, resulting in a general loss of the associated benefits and increasingawareness for their protection. In order to achieve a better understanding ofthese meadows to maintain and/or improve its sustainability, numerical modelsarise as emergent valuable tools, simplifying reality and addressing usefulinformation for scientists and coastal managers. Thus, the main objectiveof this work is to assess and synthetize the available literature informationconcerning the numerical seagrass modelling approaches applied to Zosteramarina and Zostera noltii species. The followed methodology consisted inthorough literature review in ISI journals focused on Z. marina and Z. noltiinumerical modelling, exploring the available information in a comparativeapproach between the two species. The results showed that numericalmodels for Z. marina are more abundant in the literature than Z. noltii. Themajority of the models available focus on simulating the seasonal dynamicsof biomass and nutrient contents in seagrasses, although, in the case ofZ. marina, more variables and parameters are included in the modelformulation comparing with those applied to Z. noltii. This work concludesthat, in spite of the clear efforts in the development of seagrass modelling,the models described in the literature for the two seagrass species in studyare still fragmented and incomplete, particularly with regard to Z. noltii. Themethodology followed is important for future work, aiming to contribute tofurther improvements of the already existent seagrass models, instead ofspending efforts to develop new ones do to the same things, i.e., try to“reinventing the wheel”.- 197 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyPoster Number: 76Juvenile mortality, not larval habitat choice determines the non-randomdistribution of the non-native gastropod Crepidula fornicata in the intertidal zoneAuthors: Katrin Bohn 1,2 , Christopher A. Richardson 1 and Stuart R. Jenkins 11School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, LL595AB, Anglesey, Wales,United Kingdom2Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton,Waterfront Campus, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UKEmail: Katrin.Bohn@soton.ac.ukThe invasive non-native gastropod Crepidula fornicata is an epibiont tomany commercially important shellfish species, a species trait which hasgreatly contributed to C. fornicata’s invasion success in European waters.For example, its attachment to oysters and mussels aided its transoceanicmovement and rapid regional spread, and negative impacts on its basibiontwere found to result in dominance of C. fornicata over the native shellfishspecies. Attachment to conspecifics however is also common. We investigatedwhich processes cause such differential distributional patterns of juvenilesand adult C. fornicata. A series of no-choice and choice settlement laboratoryassays were undertaken that investigated whether rates of larval settlementdiffered between the shells of conspecifics and the shells of the blue musselMytilus edulis. Field recruitment dynamics across these microhabitat typeswere also monitored in the low intertidal zone. Under laboratory conditionslarval settlement occurred in greater number on shells of C. fornicata,however differential settlement patterns were not reflected in the distributionof juveniles under natural conditions, where the distribution of recentlysettled juveniles did not differ between substrata types. Subsequent postsettlementprocesses appeared to re-structure the distribution of juvenile C.fornicata established during settlement; recruitment was higher on musselshells, suggesting that the availability of this substratum may lower earlypost-settlement mortality of C. fornicata under intertidal conditions. Thisindicates that specific microhabitat features are important in determiningthe final distribution of this invasive species. C. fornicata’s ability to rapidlycolonise beds of shellfish species may be at least partly due to the increasedsurvival of juveniles on this microhabitat type.- 198 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyPoster Number: 77Effects of transportation stress on the physiological condition of Mytilusedulis and subsequent considerations for the benthic cultivation industryJulia Calderwood, Queen’s University BelfastEmail: jcalderwood05@qub.ac.ukIntensive monoculture of marine biota occurs globally with Mytilus edulislending themselves to being ideal aquaculture organisms due to their sessilenature and relatively fast growth rates. During the benthic cultivation processwild seed is transplanted from natural beds to sheltered in-shore waters tobe grown to a commercial size. The survival of relaid mussels is ultimatelya function of their quality and physiological condition upon relaying and ithas been recognised that mussels suffer from a loss in condition followingtransportation. I therefore set out to investigate whether the process of beingtransported to on-growing plots has a negative impact on the physiologicalhealth and resultant ongrowing success of mussels.Transport conditions were simulated with mussels being held out of water inplastic tubing to assess how depth held in the ship hold (0, 1.5 and 3m) andlength of time emersed (12, 24 and 48 hours) affects condition. Physiologicalcondition was assessed by measuring tissue pH and whole tissue glycogen,succinate and propionate concentration. The rate of byssogenesis wasfurther used as a measure of recovery following a period of re-immersion.For each indicator the depth at which mussels were held had no significanteffect. Time emersed did however have a significant impact with musselsheld out of water for 48 hours consistently displaying reduced conditioncompared with those emersed for just 12 hours.These results have practical implications for the benthic cultivation industryhighlighting that producers should ensure mussels are held out of water forthe minimum possible time prior to relaying to ensure physiological healthand resultant condition is preserved.- 199 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyPoster Number: 78Size and seasonal influences on the foraging range of female grey seals in thenortheast AtlanticMichelle Cronin, Paddy Pomeroy, David Reid & Mark JessoppUniversity of College CorkEmail: michelle.cronin@ucc.ieEvidence of segregation in foraging habitat has been demonstrated in topmarine predators, including cetaceans, pinnipeds and seabirds. However,most data are inadequate for assessing differences relating to body sizeor seasonal influences. This has implications for quantitative modelling ofpopulation-level predator-prey interactions and ecosystem structure. Weexamined potential influence of body size and ‘fatness’ on the foraging tripcharacteristics of a top marine predator, the Atlantic grey seal (Halichoerusgrypus), in southwest Ireland to examine how female grey seals foragingbehaviour varied with size, and across the period between moult andbreeding, using generalized linear mixed models. Larger seals, tagged withGPS devices, undertook trips of significantly greater duration and travelledfurther from haul-out sites than tagged smaller seals. However, body fatwas negatively associated with trip duration and extent, suggesting thatfatter individuals may be more efficient foragers. Alternatively they couldbe avoiding negative consequences that may result from becoming fatterthan an optimal value, as excess storage of fat can result in increasedcost of transport due to increases in buoyancy. This study was the first toprovide evidence of body size influence on foraging behaviour of grey seals,irrespective of age or gender. The extent of foraging trips varied significantlyacross seasons (p

Theme: General Marine BiologyPoster Number: 79Variability in gametogenesis and recruitment in sympatric populations of thehorse mussel Modiolus modiolus following anthropogenic impactJose M. Fariñas-Franco, Dai RobertsSchool of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road,Belfast, BT17 1NN, United KingdomEmail: jfarinasfranco01@qub.ac.ukBiogenic reefs formed by the horse mussel Modiolus modiolus were amajor feature in the candidacy of Strangford Lough (Northern Ireland) asa Special Area of Conservation but have been damaged in the past byintensive bottom trawling. Proposed restoration strategies including captivebreeding and translocation of adult mussels are highly dependent on a clearunderstanding of the reproductive dynamics of the species. Studies prior thedecline of the habitat in Strangford Lough found no distinct spawning seasonand continuous spat recruitment which were interpreted as signs of ‘tricklespawning’. During the present study a more complex reproductive cycle wasrecorded in remnant sympatric M. modiolus subpopulations following habitatfragmentation. Methods used included direct assessment of the gonadand recording of natural spat recruitment. Significant signs of gametogenicseasonality were found in less damaged reefs along with important andregular recruitment during the past ten years suggesting they are potentiallyfunctioning as sources of spat within the fragmented metapopulation. Verylow recruitment and no clear breeding cycle were observed in impacted reefswhich, coupled with possible density related ‘Allee effects’, indicate thesesubpopulations might no longer be self sustaining. The present study suggeststhat natural recovery of damaged M. modiolus reefs in Strangford Lough isunlikely without a combined approach of strict protection of the remaininglarval sources and active restoration of the damaged subpopulations throughstock supplementation.- 201 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyPoster Number: 13Incidence of trematode infection in Patella sppLisa Grant 1 , Anne-Marie Keogh 2 , Tasman P. Crowe 2 , Louise B. Firth 11Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland2School of Biology & Environmental Science, University College Dublin,Belfield, Dublin 4, IrelandEmail: louise.firth@nuigalway.ieParasitic trematode infections of both the common limpet, Patella vulgate,and the china limpet Patella ulyssiponensis were investigated on rocky shoresalong the west coast of Ireland. Samples were removed from low-mid shoreat four sites, and dissected to check for evidence of trematodes, particularlyEchinostephilla patellae, which infects limpets as the first intermediate host.E. patellae infections were confirmed, as were instances of an unidentifiedtrematod metacercariar in a small number of samples. Analysis showedthat size and habitat were significant factors influencing the prevalence ofinfections on the low shore, and that infection removed individuals from thebreeding pool. Results were not consistent across all sites surveyed, andhighlighted the scope of further study on the life cycle and transmission ofthese parasites.- 202 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyPoster Number: 80Estimating habitat, growth, residency and survival of Dublin Bay Prawn(Nephrops norvegicus) from habitat mapping and mark-recaptureexperiments.Valentina Lauria, Mark P. Johnson and Anne Marie PowerSchool of Natural Sciences, Martin Ryan Institute, NUI Galway, UniversityRoad, Galway, IrelandEmail: valentina.lauria@nuigalway.ieThe Dublin Bay Prawn (Nephrops norvegicus) is the most valuableinvertebrate resource caught in EU waters, with Ireland and UK accountingfor over 70% of the total landings. Despite its economic importance very littleis known about the ecology, in particular habitat preference and growth rate,of this species around Ireland. The aims of this work are: 1) to characterisethe suitable habitat for release of hatchery-reared or discarded Nephropsand 2) to study the growth, residency and survival of the Irish Nephropsstocks by mark-recapture (tagging) experiments.Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) were used to explore the relationshipsbetween bathymetric variables and Nephrops density in Galway Bay andAran grounds. Sequential Coded Wire Tags (sCWT, Northwest MarineTechnology) were used to mark 1226 creel caught Nephrops (both malesand berried females) in order to study the growth, residency and survival ofreleased individuals.Our results showed that Nephrops densities were associated with sedimentswith a higher content of silt plus clay (~50-60%) and deeper waters. Allthe tagged Nephrops showed high survivorship (90%) and tag retention(100%). Annual growth rates and residency will be obtained from recaptureexperiments during spring 2014.This study has implications for the assessment and management of DublinBay prawn stocks in Ireland supporting the European effort of sustainableuse of marine resources.- 203 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyPoster Number: 81Title: Induced larval settlement and restoration attempts of the biogenic reefforming species Sabellaria alveolata.Steven Newstead. Bangor UniversityEmail: s.newstead@bangor.ac.ukBiogenic reefs formed by Sabellaria alveolata, the honeycomb worm,are listed as a priority habitat under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan andAnnexe 1 of the European Habitats Directive, which requires that theyare to be maintained at, or restored to, a favourable condition across theirbiogeographical distribution. Our study assessed the viability of rearing S.alveolata under laboratory conditions through all stages of developmentfor successful transplantation into existing naturally occurring reefs. In thelaboratory, adult S. alveolata were removed from their sand tubes andencouraged to release their gametes via stress, resulting eggs and sperm werecounted, diluted then mixed for fertilisation. Larvae were reared through theearly pelagic stages into metamorphosis when settlement began. Settlementwas encouraged upon slate plates where they were then transferred into3 specially adapted sediment re-suspension tanks with 3 treatment levelsof Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM: high >100 mg/l-1, low ~50mg/l-1and control ~10mg/l-1). A 4 week tube formation experiment on the newlysettled worms showed the need for a maximum SPM level of 50mg/l-1, butgreater than 10mg/l-1, for forming these structures and to date providesthe first described insight into the early lifecycle stages. Larger plates thatcontained a high density of settled larvae and displayed reef characteristicswere tested for survivability in a transplantation experiment at LlanddulasBeach, Conwy during January/ February 2013. Complete loss of coverageindicated the need for a stronger consolidation of tube formation upon thesettlement plates, the need to test different plate designs and deploymentwhen conditions are warmer and less stressful for the worms. The success ofour methods demonstrates it is possible to rear S. alveolata under laboratoryconditions and there is potential for successful reef regeneration projects onthis important species.- 204 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyPoster Number: 82Long-term observations of phytoplankton biomass and thermohalineproperties in the Mali Ston Bay (Adriatic Sea)Skejić, S., Vilibić, I., Jozić, S., Ninčević Gladan, Ž., Marasović, I., Prelesnik, H.Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Šetalište I. Meštrovića 63, 21000Split, CroatiaE-mail: sanda@izor.hrUsing 14 years of temperature, salinity and chlorophyll data collected inMali Ston Bay, we investigated thermohaline properties and phytoplanktonbiomass distribution as a major food source of bivalves cultivated in thisarea. Sampling was conducted once or twice a month at four stations at twodifferent depths (surface and bottom) throughout period 1999-2012. A largeinflow of the Neretva River in the outer part of the bay and many underwatersprings in the inner part caused persistent stratification throughout the wholeyear. The temperature effect on stratification was weaker than the salinityeffect. Interannual changes in temperature and salinity are much greater thanthe changes between investigated stations within the bay. Phytoplanktonbiomass increased throughout the period 1999–2012, however, a negativetrend in salinity was observed for the surface layer. The seasonal increasein phytoplankton biomass mostly occurred as a bimodal pattern, i.e. in thespring and autumn, although the autumn peak was not as pronounced.- 205 -

Theme: Special Themes Hydrothermal vents and miningPoster Number: 83Faunal diversity above and along deep sea brines in the Red SeaHege Vestheim, Andre Antunes & Stein KaartvedtKing Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Kingdom of SaudiArabiaEmail: hege.vestheim@gmail.com25 deep-sea brine pools occur along the central axis of the Red Sea allwith distinct brine-seawater interfaces with gradients of salinity, temperature,density, O2 and pH as well as other physicochemical gradients typifying theindividual brines. Deep-sae mining of their associated metalliferous muds isunder planning. Previous studies have revealed a rich biodiversity of microbialcommunities with novel extremophiles that thrive in the inhospitable brineenvironments. The steep gradients in salinity at the interface create densitygradients functioning as sediment traps also fuelling microbial life.Using ROV we assessed the hereto unexplored metazoan fauna found in thebrine seawater interface just above the brine and along the “shore” of the brinepools at the Atlantis II (~2000 m), Valdivia (~1525 m) and Kebrit (~1465 m)deeps. While the waters just above the Atlantis II pool appeared to be depletedof macrofauna, increased numbers of zooplankton were found at the Valdiviaand Kebrit interface compared to waters above. Especially chaetognathsseemed to exploit the brine habitats. Mussel beds were found in a narrow(20 cm) band along the Valdivia deep consisting of what appeared to be onlyone species of a small (5 mm) mollusc. The Kebrit shore is characterizedwith many non-active chimneys. The collection of two chimneys documentedthem to be habitats for numerous of sea anemones, snails (Cocculina sp.and individuals belonging to Littorinidae) and polychaetes (capitellids andindividuals belonging to Sabellida). Fish and shrimps were also frequentlyobserved at the shore of both Valdivia and Kebrit. The brine pool interfacesmay therefore be regarded as “oases” as the deep sea floor of the Red Seagenerally is poor in benthos and the waters are highly oligotrophic.- 206 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyPoster Number: 84Patterns of subtidal benthic assemblage’s distribution on continental shelfIslands of Southeastern Brazil Ecoregion.Gabriela Carvalho L. S. , Leandro I. Coelho, Valéria Cassano, Flávio A. S.BerchezDepartamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de SãoPaulo, R. do Matão, 277, 05508-090 São Paulo, SP, Brasil.e-mail: gabicarvalho.mar@gmail.comBasic research regarding species distribution is needed in order to generatedata for monitoring initiatives and impact assessments. The lack of studiesabout insular rocky shore benthic communities in Brazil located withinmarine protected areas is a matter of concern given the great extent of suchenvironments in the country. This study was performed in three islands ofthe Southeastern Brazil Ecoregion, all belonging to the Strict Nature Reserveof Tupinambás. Photo-quadrats were obtained in two strata, 1-5 and 5-10m depth, following a nested design. Patterns of distribution of dominantspecies and functional groups abundance were assessed by the multivariateprocedures ANOSIM, nMDS, PCA and SIMPER. Results suggest that (1)the benthic assemblage is distinct in each island for both strata; (2) themost important taxa responsible for distinguishing the islands’ assemblagesamong themselves were, in the shallow stratum, articulated corallines andSargassum vulgare accumulating 49,09% of the contribution in the Islandsof Oratório x Palmas, 39,45% in Oratório x Sapata and 46,09% in Palmasx Sapata. In the deeper stratum, those taxa were articulated corallines andCodium intertextum accumulating 60,9% of the contribution in Oratóriox Palmas, 62,06% in Oratório x Sapata and 71,91% in Palmas x Sapata;(3) the importance of other taxa varied according to depth and island; (4)articulated corallines were the most abundant taxa in all islands and strata.This trends need to be confirmed by further studies encompassing also theboundaries of the Ecoregion.- 207 -

Theme: General Marine BiologyPoster Number: 85Effect of a marine current turbine on the epifaunal communities of tide sweptboulders.J. O’Carroll 1 , R. M. Kennedy 1 , G. Savidge 21Ryan Institute, School of Natural Sciences, National University of IrelandGalway, University Road, Galway, Ireland2Queen’s University Marine Laboratory, 12-13 The Strand, Portaferry,Newtownards, County Down BT22 1PF, Northern Irelandjackocarroll1990@gmail.comThe optimum location for a current turbine is in a “narrows” where the tide isfunneled at great speed through a narrow channel connecting an embaymentwith the open ocean. The epifaunal communities of the tide swept boulderfields are a distinct biotope under the EUNIS habitat classification scheme(CR.HCR.FaT Very tide-swept faunal communities). Reducing or divertingthe tidal flow may adversely affect these communities. This study describesthe baseline and monitoring stages of ecological assessment of the impactof the SeaGen turbine in Strangford Narrows, Northern Ireland.Very little data concerning natural variability and the effects of disturbanceon this biotope was known previous to this study. The faunal communitiesshowed strong seasonality and spatial structure, but net changes incommunity structure were within the natural variability of the area, asdetermined from the analysis of high resolution diver video. There was nosignificant difference in the temporal pattern at control and impact sites. Asubstantial baseline has been gathered that can be used to determine theeffect of sustained turbine operation in the future. Multivariate power analysisto determine the sensitivity of the sampling program to detect communitychange against a background of high natural variability is the next stage inthis project.- 208 -

General InformationVenue and Dates:EMBS 2013 takes place at National University of Ireland, Galway August19-23, 2013. The meeting will take place in the Bailey Allen Hall, Áras naMacLéinn Building.Parking on campus:Specific car parks have been allocated to Conference Delegates drivingto the conference. A permit is available on the website, please ensure todisplay your permit at all times or you will be clamped.Language:The official language of the Congress is English.Registration & Information Desk and Congress SecretariatOpening Hours: Monday, August 19 th : 10.00 to 13.00 & Tuesday to Friday,August 20-23: 09.00 to 10.00.Coffee breaks and meals:Tea/coffee and lunch is included in the registration fee. The ConferenceDinner (dress smart/casual) will take place in the Radisson Hotel on Thursdaynight, August 22 nd – please note you must have booked a ticket at time ofregistration to attend this dinner.Posters/Exhibitors:All Posters & Exhibitors will be set up in the Bailey Allen Hall, Áras naMacLéinn Building.Time Zone:The time zone in Galway is GMTCurrency:The currency of Ireland is the Euro (there is a bank located in the Arts/Science Building, open 10.00-17.00 on Monday and 10.00 to 16.00 Tuesdayto Friday). There are also ATM machines on campus.Electricity: Mains electricity is supplied at 220 volts.Insurance:The congress fee does not include insurance - please ensure to arrangeyour own insurance.- 209 -

Presentation Information:Speakers Room:Please ensure your presentation is uploaded in advance of your allocatedtime in the Plenary Room, Bailey Allen Hall.Instructions for Oral Presenters:Speakers are requested to be present at least 10 minutes before the start ofthe session and identify themselves to the Chair.Session Chairs:Before the session please check with organisers or update on last minutechanges to the programme.Please be present 10 minutes before the start of the session and confirm thenames of the presenting authors.Please confirm the time and scheduled slot for each presentation.Please introduce each speaker, keep strictly to time and moderate eachsession to allow sufficient time for questions and discussion after each paper.Instructions for Poster Presenters:Poster should be hung in Section C of the Bailey Allen Hall on MondayAugust 19 th . Posters will be on display until the end of the conference.- 210 -