Human Activity as a Growing Threat to Marine Ecosystems: Plastic and Temperature Effects on the Sponge <i>Sarcotragus spinosulus</i>
Human activities increasingly threaten marine ecosystems through rising waste and temperatures. This study investigated the role of plastics as vectors for <i>Vibrio</i> bacteria and the effects of temperature on the marine sponge <i>Sarcotragus spinosulus</i>. Samples of pla...
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2025-01-01
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| author | Jessica Lombardo Maria del Mar Ribas-Taberner Maria Magdalena Quetglas-Llabrés Samuel Pinya Llorenç Gil Silvia Tejada Antoni Sureda Montserrat Compa |
| author_facet | Jessica Lombardo Maria del Mar Ribas-Taberner Maria Magdalena Quetglas-Llabrés Samuel Pinya Llorenç Gil Silvia Tejada Antoni Sureda Montserrat Compa |
| author_sort | Jessica Lombardo |
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| description | Human activities increasingly threaten marine ecosystems through rising waste and temperatures. This study investigated the role of plastics as vectors for <i>Vibrio</i> bacteria and the effects of temperature on the marine sponge <i>Sarcotragus spinosulus</i>. Samples of plastics and sponges were collected during July, August (high-temperature period), and November (lower-temperature period). Bacterial growth and sponge responses were analysed using biochemical biomarkers. The results revealed a peak in colony-forming units (CFU), particularly of <i>Vibrio alginolyticus</i>, on plastics and sponges in August, followed by a decrease in November. In August, CFU counts of <i>Vibrio</i> spp. were significantly higher in sponges with poor external appearance (characterized by dull coloration and heavy epiphytic growth) but returned to levels observed in healthy sponges by November. Microplastics were detected in the tissues of both sponge groups, with higher concentrations found in affected specimens. Biomarker analyses revealed increased lysozyme, glutathione S-transferase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase activities in healthy sponges during August, while malondialdehyde levels, indicating oxidative damage, were higher in affected sponges. In conclusion, affected sponges exhibited elevated CFU counts of <i>Vibrio</i> spp. and reduced antioxidant and detoxification responses under elevated temperatures. These findings suggest that combined impacts of plastics and warming may pose significant risks to <i>S. spinosulus</i> in the context of global climate change. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2305-6304 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
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| series | Toxics |
| spelling | doaj-art-b700fc543d1544939d6721932b7db83e2025-01-24T13:51:08ZengMDPI AGToxics2305-63042025-01-011316610.3390/toxics13010066Human Activity as a Growing Threat to Marine Ecosystems: Plastic and Temperature Effects on the Sponge <i>Sarcotragus spinosulus</i>Jessica Lombardo0Maria del Mar Ribas-Taberner1Maria Magdalena Quetglas-Llabrés2Samuel Pinya3Llorenç Gil4Silvia Tejada5Antoni Sureda6Montserrat Compa7Research Group in Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress (NUCOX), University of Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, SpainResearch Group in Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress (NUCOX), University of Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, SpainResearch Group in Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress (NUCOX), University of Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, SpainHealth Research Institute of Balearic Islands (IdISBa), 07120 Palma de Mallorca, SpainInterdisciplinary Ecology Group, University of the Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, SpainHealth Research Institute of Balearic Islands (IdISBa), 07120 Palma de Mallorca, SpainResearch Group in Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress (NUCOX), University of Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, SpainResearch Group in Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress (NUCOX), University of Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, SpainHuman activities increasingly threaten marine ecosystems through rising waste and temperatures. This study investigated the role of plastics as vectors for <i>Vibrio</i> bacteria and the effects of temperature on the marine sponge <i>Sarcotragus spinosulus</i>. Samples of plastics and sponges were collected during July, August (high-temperature period), and November (lower-temperature period). Bacterial growth and sponge responses were analysed using biochemical biomarkers. The results revealed a peak in colony-forming units (CFU), particularly of <i>Vibrio alginolyticus</i>, on plastics and sponges in August, followed by a decrease in November. In August, CFU counts of <i>Vibrio</i> spp. were significantly higher in sponges with poor external appearance (characterized by dull coloration and heavy epiphytic growth) but returned to levels observed in healthy sponges by November. Microplastics were detected in the tissues of both sponge groups, with higher concentrations found in affected specimens. Biomarker analyses revealed increased lysozyme, glutathione S-transferase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase activities in healthy sponges during August, while malondialdehyde levels, indicating oxidative damage, were higher in affected sponges. In conclusion, affected sponges exhibited elevated CFU counts of <i>Vibrio</i> spp. and reduced antioxidant and detoxification responses under elevated temperatures. These findings suggest that combined impacts of plastics and warming may pose significant risks to <i>S. spinosulus</i> in the context of global climate change.https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/1/66temperatureplasticsstresssponge<i>Vibrio</i>Balearic Islands |
| spellingShingle | Jessica Lombardo Maria del Mar Ribas-Taberner Maria Magdalena Quetglas-Llabrés Samuel Pinya Llorenç Gil Silvia Tejada Antoni Sureda Montserrat Compa Human Activity as a Growing Threat to Marine Ecosystems: Plastic and Temperature Effects on the Sponge <i>Sarcotragus spinosulus</i> Toxics temperature plastics stress sponge <i>Vibrio</i> Balearic Islands |
| title | Human Activity as a Growing Threat to Marine Ecosystems: Plastic and Temperature Effects on the Sponge <i>Sarcotragus spinosulus</i> |
| title_full | Human Activity as a Growing Threat to Marine Ecosystems: Plastic and Temperature Effects on the Sponge <i>Sarcotragus spinosulus</i> |
| title_fullStr | Human Activity as a Growing Threat to Marine Ecosystems: Plastic and Temperature Effects on the Sponge <i>Sarcotragus spinosulus</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Human Activity as a Growing Threat to Marine Ecosystems: Plastic and Temperature Effects on the Sponge <i>Sarcotragus spinosulus</i> |
| title_short | Human Activity as a Growing Threat to Marine Ecosystems: Plastic and Temperature Effects on the Sponge <i>Sarcotragus spinosulus</i> |
| title_sort | human activity as a growing threat to marine ecosystems plastic and temperature effects on the sponge i sarcotragus spinosulus i |
| topic | temperature plastics stress sponge <i>Vibrio</i> Balearic Islands |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/1/66 |
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