Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

The gut microbial of sea urchin ( Strongylocentrotus intermedius ) under different temperatures: Microbial structure and co-occurrence patterns

Researchers exposed sea urchins to five temperatures ranging from 13 to 25°C and used high-throughput sequencing to show that elevated temperatures increase gut bacterial diversity, shift dominant genera, alter key metabolic pathways, and strengthen deterministic assembly processes, providing mechanistic insight into how warming reshapes invertebrate gut microbiomes.

2026 Israeli Journal of Aquaculture - Bamidgeh
Article Tier 2

Temporal stability and assembly mechanisms of gut microbiota in sea cucumbers response to nanoplastics treatment

Researchers studied how nanoplastic ingestion affects the gut microbiota of sea cucumbers (Apostichopus japonicus), an important aquaculture species. The study found that exposure to nanoplastics at concentrations of 100 and 500 mg/kg caused significant changes in gut microbial community composition after 21 days, suggesting potential impacts on the health of farmed marine organisms.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Seasonal variations in microbial diversity and metabolite profiles of the gut of sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus)

Researchers used 16S rRNA sequencing and metabolite profiling to examine how seasonal changes affect the gut microbiome composition and intestinal metabolites of sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) in China. They found that symbiotic microbial communities and their metabolic outputs shifted significantly across seasons, reflecting the influence of changing external environments on this economically important aquaculture species.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Differences in gut microbial diversity and composition between growth phenotypes of farmed juvenile sandfish, Holothuria scabra

Researchers analyzed the gut bacteria of farmed sandfish sea cucumbers to understand why individuals from the same batch grow at different rates. They found that fast-growing and slow-growing animals had distinct gut microbial communities with different predicted metabolic functions. The study also cautioned that fecal samples do not accurately represent the gut microbiome, which is important for future aquaculture research methods.

2025 BMC Microbiology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics affect the growth of sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus intermedius) and damage gut health

Researchers exposed sea urchins to nanoplastics at two concentrations for 28 days and found significant reductions in growth rates and digestive enzyme activity. The nanoplastics caused visible damage to intestinal tissue and altered gut bacterial community composition, with several bacterial groups appearing exclusively in exposed animals. The study suggests that nanoplastic exposure can harm marine invertebrates by disrupting both digestive function and gut microbial balance.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 28 citations
Article Tier 2

The interplay between host-specificity and habitat-filtering influences sea cucumber microbiota across an environmental gradient of pollution

Researchers examined how environmental pollution gradients influence intra-specific variation in microbiota diversity and structure across skin, gut, sediment, and water communities associated with sea cucumbers. They found that both host-specificity and habitat-filtering interact to shape microbial communities along pollution gradients, with animal-associated microbiota showing distinct patterns compared to environmental communities.

2024
Article Tier 2

The interplay between host-specificity and habitat-filtering influences sea cucumber microbiota across an environmental gradient of pollution

Researchers studied how pollution levels along a Hong Kong coastline affect the gut and skin microbiomes — communities of bacteria living on and in organisms — of a tropical sea cucumber, finding that the animal maintains its own distinct microbial community even in highly polluted areas. This suggests sea cucumbers have strong internal mechanisms that shape their microbiome independently of the surrounding environment, which may help them survive in contaminated coastal waters.

2024 Environmental Microbiome 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Physiological and intestinal microbiota responses of sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus to various stress and signatures of intestinal microbiota dysbiosis

Scientists tested how six common aquaculture stressors, including high temperature, low salinity, ammonia, and overcrowding, affect the gut health and microbial communities of sea cucumbers. All stressors reduced growth and digestive function while shifting the balance of gut bacteria, with potentially harmful bacteria increasing under several conditions. The study identified specific microbial ratio changes as signatures of gut disturbance, which could be useful markers for monitoring sea cucumber health in aquaculture.

2024 Frontiers in Microbiology 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Adverse effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus and their association with gut microbiota dysbiosis

Researchers used multiple advanced techniques to study how polystyrene nanoplastics affect sea cucumbers, an important aquaculture species. They found that nanoplastic exposure disrupted the animals' gut microbiome, triggered inflammation, and impaired immune function. The study suggests that nanoplastic pollution in aquaculture environments could harm the health of commercially farmed marine species.

2023 Chemosphere 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in specific tissues of wild sea urchins along the coastal areas of northern China

Sea urchins collected from 12 sites across nearly 3,000 km of northern China's coastline were analyzed for microplastic accumulation in specific tissues, with contamination detected at all sites and significant variation in abundance, type, and polymer composition across locations.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 99 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of microplastics exposure on mussel (Mytilus edulis) gut microbiota

Researchers exposed marine mussels (Mytilus edulis) to microplastics and analyzed changes to their gut microbiota, finding significant shifts in microbial community composition that could affect digestion, immunity, and overall health.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 111 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Microplastics and Sea Urchin Life: A Review of Distribution and Implications in Indonesia

This meta-analysis reviews microplastic distribution in sea urchins across Indonesian waters. The research found microplastics present in sea urchin populations across multiple marine environments. This matters because sea urchins are consumed as food in many coastal communities, making them a potential pathway for microplastics to enter the human diet.

2025 Environmental sciences
Article Tier 2

Comparative analysis of microplastic content in water, sediments, and digestive traces of sea urchin Diadema setosum (Leske, 1778) on Untung Jawa Island and Tidung Island, Seribu Islands, Jakarta

Researchers compared microplastic levels in water, sediment, and the digestive tracts of sea urchins at two Indonesian island sites, finding microplastics across all compartments. Sea urchins appear to be useful indicators of microplastic contamination in coral reef ecosystems.

2021 IOP Conference Series Materials Science and Engineering 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Gut microbiota composition of the isopod Ligia in South Korea exposed to expanded polystyrene pollution

Coastal isopods (Ligia) collected from a plastic-polluted site in South Korea showed measurably different gut microbiome compositions compared to those from a clean site, with lower species richness in polluted areas. This suggests that microplastic contamination can reshape the internal microbial communities of small invertebrates, potentially affecting their health and their role in coastal food webs.

2024 PLoS ONE 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbial education for marine invertebrate disease prevention in aquaculture

This review examines how manipulating the microbial communities of farmed shellfish and crustaceans can help prevent diseases in aquaculture. While not directly about microplastics, the paper is relevant because microplastic contamination in aquaculture environments can disrupt the beneficial microbiomes of farmed species, making them more vulnerable to disease. Healthier aquaculture organisms also mean safer seafood for human consumption.

2024 Reviews in Aquaculture 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Behavioral and Physiological Requirements for Artificial Shelters in Juvenile Sea Cucumbers Apostichopus japonicus

Not relevant to microplastics — this study investigates why some juvenile sea cucumbers (Apostichopus japonicus) prefer artificial shelters while others do not, finding that shelter-seeking individuals have higher digestive demands and different gut microbiota compositions.

2026 Biology
Article Tier 2

Existence of microplastics in the edible part of the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus

Researchers demonstrated that microplastics can transfer into the edible body wall of sea cucumbers (Apostichopus japonicus), entering through the outer surface and potentially posing a threat to human health through seafood consumption.

2021 Chemosphere 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Ocean Acidification and Microplastics on Microflora Community Composition in the Digestive Tract of the Thick Shell Mussel Mytilus coruscus Through 16S RNA Gene Sequencing

This study used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to examine how ocean acidification and microplastic exposure, alone and combined, altered the gut microbiome of the thick shell mussel Mytilus coruscus. Both stressors shifted the composition of beneficial gut bacteria, suggesting that these two marine environmental threats can together compromise mussel digestive health.

2020 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of anthropogenic particles in Arbacia lixula sea urchins and their surrounding environments: seawater and coastal sediments

Researchers found anthropogenic particles (microplastics) in both gastrointestinal tracts and gonads of Arbacia lixula sea urchins, as well as in surrounding coastal sediment and seawater at La Palma Island, confirming bioaccumulation in this ecologically important species.

2025 Regional Studies in Marine Science
Article Tier 2

Microbiome differences between wild and aquarium whitespotted eagle rays (Aetobatus narinari)

Researchers compared the gut microbiomes of whitespotted eagle rays living in aquariums versus the wild and found significant differences in bacterial communities, though aquarium rays appeared healthy, suggesting their microbiomes adapt to managed environments without causing obvious harm.

2022 Animal Microbiome 12 citations