Impacts of species depletion on the food web structure of a marine ecosystem based on topological network analysis

Single-species management ignores the interactions between species,and ecosystem-based fisheries management(EBFM)has become a main method to fisheries management.Understanding food web structures and species interactions is essential for the implementation of EBFM and maintenance of ecosystem functions.Overfishing is one of the main reasons behind the depletion,which could even lead to the depletion of some target species in local areas.So understanding the impacts of species depletion on food web structures is important for the implementation of EBFM.The impacts of species depletion can be transmitted through the food web and cause the local extinction of both target and non-target species.In this study,topological network analysis was applied to examine the impacts of species depletion on the food web structure of Haizhou Bay.Results showed that fine crayfish Leptochela gracilis,squid Loligo sp.,and Japanese snapping shrimp Alpheus japonicus have the highest numbers of outgoing links(48,32 and 31 respectively);thus,these species may be considered key prey species.Whitespotted conger Conger myriaster,fat greenling Hexagrammos otakii,and bluefin gurnard Chelidonichthys kumu were key predators with the highest number of incoming links(37,36 and 35 respectively).The competition graphs derived from the Haizhou Bay food web were highly connected(more than 40%predators sharing over 10 common prey species),and showed close trophic interaction between high trophic level fishes.Simulation analysis showed that the food web structure has small changes to the depletion of species in a highly complex food web.The most-connected target species did not necessarily indicate high structural importance;however,some species with low connectivity may demonstrate stronger trophic interactions and play important ecological roles in the food web.But most species were more sensitive to the depletion of the most-connected target species than other target species(for instance,for zooplankton,closeness centrality 13.876 in D6,but closeness centrality 82.143 in original food web).Therefore,EBFM should focus on the most-connected target species,but also on those species with few but strong links and feeding relationships in the food web.

Identification of a natural PLA2 inhibitor from the marine fungus Aspergillus sp.c1 for MAFLD treatment that suppressed lipotoxicity by inhibiting the IRE-1a/XBP-1s axis and JNK signaling

Lipotoxicity is a pivotal factor that initiates and exacerbates liver injury and is involved in the development of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD).However,there are few reported lipotoxicity inhibitors.Here,we identified a natural anti-lipotoxicity candidate,HN-001,from the marine fungus Aspergillus sp.C1.HN-001 dose-and time-dependently reversed palmitic acid(PA)-induced hepatocyte death.This protection was associated with IRE-1a-mediated XBP-1 splicing inhibition,which resulted in suppression of XBP-1s nuclear translocation and transcriptional regulation.Knockdown of XBP-1s attenuated lipotoxicity,but no additional ameliorative effect of HN-001 on lipotoxicity was observed in XBP-1s knockdown hepatocytes.Notably,the ER stress and lipotoxicity amelioration was associated with PLA2.Both HN-001 and the PLA2 inhibitor MAFP inhibited PLA2 activity,reduced lysophosphatidylcholine(LPC)level,subsequently ameliorated lipotoxicity.In contrast,overexpression of PLA2 caused exacerbation of lipotoxicity and weakened the anti-lipotoxic effects of HN-001.Additionally,HN-001 treatment suppressed the downstream pro-apoptotic JNK pathway.In vivo,chronic administration of HN-001(i.p.)in mice alleviated all manifestations of MAFLD,including hepatic steatosis,liver injury,inflammation,and fibrogenesis.These effects were correlated with PLA2/IRE-1a/XBP-1s axis and JNK signaling suppression.These data indicate that HN-001 has therapeutic potential for MAFLD because it suppresses lipotoxicity,and provide a natural structural basis for developing anti-MAFLD candidates.

Current status of greenhouse gas emissions from aquaculture in China

Aquaculture and mariculture are becoming an increasingly important source of food supply in many countries and regions.However,with the expansion of aquaculture and mariculture comes increasing emissions of greenhouse gases(GHG)which contribute to global warming and climate change.China leads the world in aquaculture and mariculture production,but there are no studies that systematically assess China's overall carbon footprint from these industries.This study quantified GHG emissions from aquaculture and mariculture by four source phases(feed,energy use,nitrous oxide and fertilizers),and then analyzed the carbon footprint of each of these phases for GHG production of nine major species groups over the past ten years to show the spatial distribution of GHG emissions from aquaculture and mariculture in China.Our results showed that the production of feed materials contributed most to the GHG emissions and found that crop energy use,crop land use changes(LUC),fertilizer production,crop nitrous oxide production and rice methane production were the main sources of feed emissions.The total GHG emissions of the nine species groups were 112 Mt(10^(9) kg)CO_(2)e,the nine species accounting for approximately 86%of aquaculture and mariculture production.GHG emissions of cyprinids had the highest contribution at 47%.Spatial analysis based on our study showed Guangdong,Hubei,Jiangsu and Shandong had the highest GHG emissions of all the provinces in this study,and they accounted for approximately 46%of all emissions.The regional Gross Domestic Product(GDP)was significantly positively correlated with GHG emissions in every province,with a correlation coefficient higher than 0.6.Our results showed for the first time the relationship between the relative production by species composition and spatial distribution of GHG emissions from aquaculture and mariculture in China.Our findings provide the scientific basis for reduction of GHG emissions within a broader context of expanding aquaculture in the future.