Reproduction and Developmental Biology Department, Institute of Marine Research, Austevoll Research Station, Storebø, Norway.
Reproduction and Developmental Biology Department, Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway.
Dev Dyn. 2023 Oct;252(10):1280-1291. doi: 10.1002/dvdy.634. Epub 2023 Jun 12.
Lesser sandeel (Ammodytes marinus) is widely distributed in North Sea ecosystems. Sandeel acts as a critical trophic link between zooplankton and top predators (fish, mammals, sea birds). Because they live buried in the sand, sandeel may be directly affected by the rapid expansion of anthropogenic activities linked to their habitat on the sea bottom (e.g., hydrocarbon extraction, offshore renewable energy, and subsea mining). It is, therefore, important to understand the impact of cumulative environmental and anthropogenic stressors on this species. A detailed description of the ontogenetic timeline and developmental staging for this species is lacking limiting the possibilities for comparative developmental studies assessing, e.g., the impact of various environmental stressors.
A detailed description of the morphological development of lesser sandeel and their developmental trajectory, obtained through visual observations and microscopic techniques, is presented. Methods for gamete stripping and intensive culture of the early life stages are also provided.
This work provides a basis for future research to understand the effect of cumulative environmental and anthropogenic stressors on development in the early life stages of lesser sandeel.
小鳞壮鳕（Ammodytes marinus）广泛分布于北海生态系统。壮鳕是浮游动物和顶级捕食者（鱼类、哺乳动物、海鸟）之间的关键营养联系。由于它们生活在沙中，壮鳕可能会直接受到与海底栖息地相关的人为活动（如碳氢化合物开采、海上可再生能源和海底采矿）快速扩张的影响。因此，了解累积的环境和人为压力源对该物种的影响非常重要。由于缺乏对该物种的详细描述，限制了对其进行比较发育研究的可能性，例如评估各种环境压力源的影响。
通过视觉观察和微观技术，对小鳞壮鳕的形态发育及其发育轨迹进行了详细描述。还提供了配子剥离和早期生命阶段密集培养的方法。
这项工作为未来的研究提供了基础，以了解累积的环境和人为压力源对小鳞壮鳕早期生命阶段发育的影响。
