Using Environmental Physiology to Teach Physiological Regulation

Environmental Physiology at Boise State University, Idaho, is a multidisciplinary course that expands students’ understanding of human regulatory physiology through acute and chronic responses to environmental extremes. Students explore the physics (pressure, fluid dynamics, gas laws, sound, and light) of the underwater environment, marine flora and fauna adaptations to this environment, and the human experience within this environment. Included is completion of the Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI) Open Water Scuba Certification. The course culminates in an international dive trip where course concepts are further demonstrated and explored, and conservation activities are undertaken.

Neoteric Approaches for Extraction of Bioactives from Marine Macroflora

More than 70% of the earth's surface is covered by the marine ecosystem. This habitat is home to a large number of marine species that produce very different metabolites as defense mechanisms. In recent years, a lot of research work has been done on the extraction of biologically active compounds using various methods in many commercial areas such as biomedicine, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, nutrition and health care and chemical industry. In fact, many traditional extraction methods have several limitations, such as low efficiency, high energy costs, and low yields. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new and updated extraction methods. Because conventional extraction methods are solvent-intensive and time-consuming, consequently this review covers neoteric approaches like pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), ultrasonic assisted extraction (UAE), enzyme assisted extraction (EAE), extraction with supercritical fluids (SFE) and microwave assisted extraction (MAE) and working mechanism to extract bioactive components from marine flora. The advantages of the new technology include higher output, less time and lower cost. In addition, different combinations of new extraction technologies and technologies suitable for heat-labile compounds have also been identified. This article summarizes the most important bioactive compounds in marine flora and the latest developments in new extraction techniques.

Biomedical applications and therapeutic potential of marine natural products and marine algae

Recently there is an increase in the interest in the secondary or non-primary metabolites produced by the marine flora and fauna. It has become the center of attraction of chemists and pharmacologists in the previous decades. Stakeholders of the natural viewpoint emphasize that the examination of new and unusual organic molecules from marine organisms while the synthetic stakeholders' faiths in targeting these novel structures for the development of new analogs and new synthetic strategies and methodologies. The chemistry of marine organisms has changed dramatically in concern of investigating rationale. Analogous to the examination of terrestrial plants, many of the recent research and studies have concentrated on the potential application of marine extracted products in the treatment, curing of human diseases, and various other works. Marine products are the major components having biomedical-oriented natural products which can be used for various purposes. Marine natural products have enough potential to work prominently and also assisting in various kinds of human needs and works. In this review, we will be focusing on prominently their works, role in biomedical-related aspects.

Decadal comparison (1950–2020) of benthic marine flora from Central and Southern Vietnam

The benthic flora of Central and Southern Vietnam and its historical changes between 1950 and 2020 were studied. Three collections were compared: collection A (1950–1970), collection B (1980–2000) and collection С (2000–2020). In all collections (1950–2020), a total of 702 macroalgal taxa and their forms have been found, including 386 red (55%), 142 brown (20%) and 174 green (25%) algal taxa. A comparison of the collections has shown significant changes in species compositions of the marine flora during the period (the maximum similarity of the benthic flora of the three compared collections was about 63%). In each taxonomic group of macrophytes, there was a proportional replacement of some species by others. It is suggested that the revealed decadal changes in the marine flora of Central and Southern Vietnam are natural, periodic (seasonal, annual or perennial) and regulated by internal factors of the ecosystem.

Diversity and distribution of the brown macroalgae (Phaeophyceae Kjellman, 1891) in cham islands, Quang Nam province, Vietnam

The study investigated the Phaeophyceae during the year 2019 at sixteen sampling sites representative for Cham islands. Specimens were collected by scuba diving, snorkelling and walking at the upper tidal zone in both dry and rainy seasons. Twenty-five species of the Phaeophyceae identified for Cham islands from four orders, four families and eleven genera. The Sargassaceae family is the most abundant species composition, followed by Dictyotaceae, Scytosiphonaceae and Asteronemataceae family. In the six islands surveyed, Hon Lao has the highest diversity with 19 species recorded; Hon Dai, Hon Tai, Hon Kho and Hon Mo island recorded from 10 to 14 species, and the lowest diversity is at the Hon La island with 8 species. Ten species Canistrocarpus cervicornis, Dictyota spinulosa, Lobophora obscura, Lobophora variegata, Pandina minor, Sargassum bicorne, Sargassum herklotsii, Sargassum parvifolium, Turbinaria conoides, Asteronema breviarticulatum reported as new records for the marine flora of Cham islands.

Notes on the marine algae of the International Biosphere Reserve Seaflower, Caribbean Colombia VIII: new records of red algae (Rhodophyta) from San Andres, Old Providence, and Saint Cataline, Colombia

Background and Aims: During the past decade, phycological research in the Seaflower International Biosphere Reserve has revealed a much more diverse marine flora than historically appreciated. This work aims to contribute to the knowledge of macroalgal biodiversity in the Archipelago of San Andres, Old Providence and Saint Cataline, Colombian Caribbean, adding 11 new records of red algae. Methods: The samples were collected around the islands in ten points covering different ecosystems, by SCUBA diving at depths between 0 and 37 m. Sampling was carried out between August and November 2009, December 2012, and September 2019 during the Seaflower Scientific Expedition. The algae collected were preserved in a 4% formalin/seawater solution. The identification was carried out using an optical microscope and specialized literature. All specimens were deposited in the herbarium JIW of the Biology Department of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia. Key results: Eleven species of red macroalgae are newly reported for the Seaflower International Biosphere Reserve in the Caribbean Sea. Of these taxa, six have been previously reported for the Colombian Caribbean: Botryocladia spinulifera, Champia taironensis, Dasya caraibica, Pterocladiella bartlettii, Seirospora occidentalis, Spyridia aculeata subsp. complanata. The remaining five species are new records for the country: Botryocladia cf. bahamensis, Botryocladia cf. bermudana, Ceramium brevizonatum var. caraibicum Gloioderma iyoense and Wrightiella tumanowiczii. With these results the International Biosphere Reserve Seaflower hosts 153 species of Rhodophyta, belonging to 12 orders, 27 families and 73 genera. Conclusions: With the research carried out in the last 10 years, the number of registered taxa has increased from 202 to 325, which represents a 62% increase in the knowledge of macroalgae diversity and places the Archipelago in the second most diverse region in the Colombian Caribbean.

Spatial-temporal changes of macrophytobenthos in the coastal zone of the Reserve “Karan’sky” (Sevastopol City, Black Sea)

For the first time, a comparative analysis of the specific diversity, changes in the biomass of macrophytobenthos in the reserve “Karan’sky” coastal zone from 1964 to 2016 was performed on the basis of a landscape approach. A landscape map of the underwater coastal slope has been drawn up, three bottom natural complexes (BNC) have been identified. The BNC of psephite deposits dominated by C. crinita and Tr. barbata (up to 89.7–78.6% of the total biomass of macrophytes) is the main one. This complex is characterized by high floristic diversity and maximum values of the biomass of macrophytobenthos. The BNC of psephite deposits with C. crinita and Tr. barbata to predominate and with pebble-gravel deposits with broken shells alternate, where Ph. crispa is the dominant species, is characterized by high floristic diversity and a decreased proportion of C. crinite and Tr. barbata, the contribution of Ph. crispa to the total biomass of macrophytes is 14.4%. The BNC of psammitic deposits with Ph. crispa to predominate and with separately randomly located blocks, where Nereia filiformis and Zanardinia typus predominate, is characterized by low floristic diversity, the predominance of Phyllophora crispa (74.3% of the total biomass of macrophytes), and the preservation of perennial species. For more than 50 years, there was a reorganization and degradation of the plant component in all BNC (depth 0.5–10 m), which was probably due to the intensification of anthropogenic activity in the coastal zone. Eudesme virescens, Dictyota dichotoma, Feldmania irrgularis, Dasya baillouviana and Rhodochorton purpureum, which live in clean, open areas of the coast, have disappeared from the bottom vegetation, and macrophytes (Cladophora laetevirens, Ectocarpus siliculosus and C. virgatum), typical for eutrophic waters, have appeared in the duodenum. The biomass of epiphytes has increased (from 0.1 to 42.6% of the total biomass of macrophytes), and the role of dominant species has decreased: C. crinita, Tr. barbata (from 99.9 to 78.6%) and Ph. crispa (from 52.9 to 14.4% of the total biomass of macrophytes). The organization of the “Karan’sky” Reserve contributed to the preservation and partial restoration of the unique natural complex of marine flora and bottom vegetation, which is confirmed by the increased floristic diversity of algaeindicators of clean waters and the increased proportion of the Red Data Book species.

Dust-borne microbes affect Ulva ohnoi’s growth and physiological state

The marine macroalgae Ulva sp. is considered an ecosystem engineer in rocky shores of temperate waters worldwide. Ulva sp. harbors a rich diversity of associated microbial epibionts, which are known to affect the algae's typical morphological development and ‘health’. We examined the interaction between airborne microbes derived from atmospheric aerosols and Ulva ohnoi growth and physiological state. Specifically, we measured U. ohnoi growth rates and photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm), alongside its microbial epibionts abundance, activity and diversity following dust (containing nutrients and airborne microorganisms) or UV-treated dust (only nutrients) amendments to filtered seawater. Parallel incubations with epibionts-free U. ohnoi (treated with antibiotics that removed the algae epibionts) were also tested to specifically examine if dust-borne microbes can replenish the epibiont community of U. ohnoi. We show that viable airborne microbes can restore U. ohnoi natural microbial epibionts communities, thereby keeping the seaweed alive and ‘healthy’. These results suggest that microbes delivered through atmospheric aerosols can affect epiphyte biodiversity in marine flora, especially in areas subjected to high annual atmospheric dust deposition such as the Mediterranean Sea.