Zupo Valerio, Maibam Chingoileima, Buia Maria Cristina, Gambi Maria Cristina, Patti Francesco Paolo, Scipione Maria Beatrice, Lorenti Maurizio, Fink Patrick
Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Center Villa Dohrn for Benthic Ecology, Punta San Pietro, 80077, Ischia, Italy.
Cologne Biocenter, Department of Aquatic Chemical Ecology, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Straße 47b, 50674, Köln, Germany.
J Chem Ecol. 2015 Aug;41(8):766-79. doi: 10.1007/s10886-015-0610-x. Epub 2015 Aug 30.
Several plants and invertebrates interact and communicate by means of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These compounds may play the role of infochemicals, being able to carry complex information to selected species, thus mediating inter- or intra-specific communications. Volatile organic compounds derived from the wounding of marine diatoms, for example, carry information for several benthic and planktonic invertebrates. Although the ecological importance of VOCs has been demonstrated, both in terrestrial plants and in marine microalgae, their role as infochemicals has not been demonstrated in seagrasses. In addition, benthic communities, even the most complex and resilient, as those associated to seagrass meadows, are affected by ocean acidification at various levels. Therefore, the acidification of oceans could produce interference in the way seagrass-associated invertebrates recognize and choose their specific environments. We simulated the wounding of Posidonia oceanica leaves collected at two sites (a control site at normal pH, and a naturally acidified site) off the Island of Ischia (Gulf of Naples, Italy). We extracted the VOCs and tested a set of 13 species of associated invertebrates for their specific chemotactic responses in order to determine if: a) seagrasses produce VOCs playing the role of infochemicals, and b) their effects can be altered by seawater pH. Our results indicate that several invertebrates recognize the odor of wounded P. oceanica leaves, especially those strictly associated to the leaf stratum of the seagrass. Their chemotactic reactions may be modulated by the seawater pH, thus impairing the chemical communications in seagrass-associated communities in acidified conditions. In fact, 54% of the tested species exhibited a changed behavioral response in acidified waters (pH 7.7). Furthermore, the differences observed in the abundance of invertebrates, in natural vs. acidified field conditions, are in agreement with these behavioral changes. Therefore, leaf-produced infochemicals may influence the structure of P. oceanica epifaunal communities, and their effects can be regulated by seawater acidification.
几种植物和无脊椎动物通过挥发性有机化合物（VOCs）进行相互作用和交流。这些化合物可能起到信息化学物质的作用，能够将复杂信息传递给特定物种，从而介导种间或种内通讯。例如，源自海洋硅藻受伤的挥发性有机化合物会为几种底栖和浮游无脊椎动物传递信息。尽管挥发性有机化合物在陆地植物和海洋微藻中的生态重要性已得到证实，但其作为信息化学物质在海草中的作用尚未得到证实。此外，底栖生物群落，即使是与海草草甸相关的最复杂、最具恢复力的群落，也在不同程度上受到海洋酸化的影响。因此，海洋酸化可能会干扰与海草相关的无脊椎动物识别和选择其特定环境的方式。我们模拟了从意大利那不勒斯湾伊斯基亚岛附近两个地点（一个正常pH值的对照地点和一个自然酸化地点）采集的大叶藻叶片的受伤情况。我们提取了挥发性有机化合物，并测试了一组13种相关无脊椎动物的特定趋化反应，以确定：a）海草是否产生起到信息化学物质作用的挥发性有机化合物，以及b）海水pH值是否会改变它们的作用效果。我们的结果表明，几种无脊椎动物能够识别受伤大叶藻叶片的气味，尤其是那些与海草叶层紧密相关的无脊椎动物。它们的趋化反应可能会受到海水pH值的调节，从而在酸化条件下损害与海草相关群落中的化学通讯。事实上，54%的受试物种在酸化水域（pH 7.7）中表现出行为反应的改变。此外，在自然与酸化野外条件下观察到的无脊椎动物丰度差异与这些行为变化一致。因此，叶片产生的信息化学物质可能会影响大叶藻表栖生物群落的结构，并且它们的作用效果会受到海水酸化的调节。
