Spatiotemporal transitions in Pseudo-nitzschia species assemblages and domoic acid along the Alaska coast

The toxic diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia is distributed from equatorial to polar regions and is comprised of >57 species, some capable of producing the neurotoxin domoic acid (DA). In the Pacific Arctic Region spanning the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas, DA is recognized as an emerging human a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2023-03, Vol.18 (3), p.e0282794-e0282794
Main Authors: Hubbard, Katherine A, Villac, Maria Célia, Chadwick, Christina, DeSmidt, Alexandra A, Flewelling, Leanne, Granholm, April, Joseph, Molly, Wood, Taylor, Fachon, Evangeline, Brosnahan, Michael L, Richlen, Mindy, Pathare, Mrunmayee, Stockwell, Dean, Lin, Peigen, Bouchard, Josée N, Pickart, Robert, Anderson, Donald M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air pollution
Alaska
Amnesic shellfish poisoning
Analysis
Animals
Arctic zone
Biology and Life Sciences
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll A
Coasts
Cruises
Diatoms
Distribution patterns
Domoic acid
Earth Sciences
Ecology and Environmental Sciences
Ecosystem
Ecosystems
Environmental aspects
Equatorial regions
Genotypes
Geographical distribution
Health risks
Humans
Ice
Ice environments
Kainic Acid - analysis
Microscopy
Neurotoxins
Ocean currents
Physical Sciences
Plankton
Platyhelminths
Poisoning
Polar environments
Polar regions
Pseudo-nitzschia
Research and Analysis Methods
Salinity
Salinity effects
Shellfish
Species
Straits
Summer
Temperature
Toxicity
Toxins
Water - analysis
Water bloom
Water masses
Water quality
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Summary:The toxic diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia is distributed from equatorial to polar regions and is comprised of >57 species, some capable of producing the neurotoxin domoic acid (DA). In the Pacific Arctic Region spanning the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas, DA is recognized as an emerging human and ecosystem health threat, yet little is known about the composition and distribution of Pseudo-nitzschia species in these waters. This investigation characterized Pseudo-nitzschia assemblages in samples collected in 2018 during summer (August) and fall (October-November) surveys as part of the Distributed Biological Observatory and Arctic Observing Network, encompassing a broad geographic range (57.8° to 73.0°N, -138.9° to -169.9°W) and spanning temperature (-1.79 to 11.7°C) and salinity (22.9 to 32.9) gradients associated with distinct water masses. Species were identified using a genus-specific Automated Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis (ARISA). Seventeen amplicons were observed; seven corresponded to temperate, sub-polar, or polar Pseudo-nitzschia species based on parallel sequencing efforts (P. arctica, P. delicatissima, P. granii, P. obtusa, P. pungens, and two genotypes of P. seriata), and one represented Fragilariopsis oceanica. During summer, particulate DA (pDA; 4.0 to 130.0 ng L-1) was observed in the Bering Strait and Chukchi Sea where P. obtusa was prevalent. In fall, pDA (3.3 to 111.8 ng L-1) occurred along the Beaufort Sea shelf coincident with one P. seriata genotype, and south of the Bering Strait in association with the other P. seriata genotype. Taxa were correlated with latitude, longitude, temperature, salinity, pDA, and/or chlorophyll a, and each had a distinct distribution pattern. The observation of DA in association with different species, seasons, geographic regions, and water masses underscores the significant risk of Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP) and DA-poisoning in Alaska waters.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0282794