Abstract
In order to examine the effect of light level on the storage lipids of the symbiotic sea anemone Anemonia virudis (Forskäl), anemones were exposed to three experimental light regimes of 10, 100 and 300 μE m-2s-1. Anemones were fed once a week. After 30 d there were no significant differences in the total lipid levels between anemones at any of the light intensities. However, after 60 d lipids had increased in proportion to light level in both the animal-tissue and zooxanthellae compartments. The higher levels of total lipid were in part due to increases in storage lipid (wax esters and triglycerides). Wax ester levels increased in the animal tissues but remained constant in the zooxanthellae, whereas triglycerides increased in both compartments. In contrast to fed anemones, starved anemones which were maintained at 300 μE m-2s-1 for 30 or 60 d did not show a statistically significant change in lipid levels at 60 d, although a slight increase in the lipid level was observed. However, there was a significant increase in the storage lipids, which suggested that the non-storage phospholipids and structural lipids had declined as a result of cellular catabolism. The composition of the wax esters and triglycerides of both fed and starved anemones was analysed and compositional changes were observed at higher light intensities.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature cited
Battey, J. F., Patton, J. S. (1984) A reevaluation of the role of glycerol in carbon translocation in zooxanthellae-coelenterate symbiosis. Mar. Biol. 79: 27–38
Bergmann, W., Creighton, S. M., Stokes, W. M. (1956). Contributions to the study of marine products. XL. Waxes and triglycerides of sea anemones. J. org. Chem. 21: 721–728
Blanquet, R. S., Nevenzel, J. C., Benson, A. A. (1979). Acetate incorporation into the lipids of the anemone Anthopleura elegantissima and its associated zooxanthellae. Mar. Biol. 54: 185–194
Crossland, C. J. (1987). In situ release of mucus and DOC-lipid from the corals Acropora variabilis and Stylophora pistillata in different light regimes. Coral Reefs 6: 35–42
Crossland, C. J., Barnes, D. J., Borowitzka, M. A. (1980). Diurnal lipid and mucus production in the staghorn coral Acropoa acuminata. Mar. Biol. 60: 81–90
Davies, P. S. (1990). A rapid method for assessing growth rates of corals in relation to water pollution. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 21: 346–348
Davies, P. Spencer (1991). Effect of daylight variations on the energy budgets of shallow-water corals. Mar. Biol. 108: 137–144
Folch, J., Lees, M., Sloane Stanley, G. H. (1957). A simple method for the isolation and purification of total lipids from animal tissues. J. biol. Chem. 226: 497–509
Harland, A. D., Fixter, L. M., Davies, P. Spencer, Anderson, R. A. (1991). Distribution of lipids between the zooxanthellae and animal compartment in the symbiotic anemone Anemonia viridis: wax esters, triglycerides and fatty acids. Mar. Biol. 110: 13–19
Janssen, H. H., Möller, H. (1981). Effects of various feeding conditions on Anemonia sulcata. Zool. Anz. 206: 161–170
Jennison, B. L. (1979). Annual fluctuations of lipid levels in the sea anemone Anthopleura elegantissima (Brandt, 1835). J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 39: 211–221
Muscatine, L., Cernichiari, E. (1969). Assimilation of photosynthetic products of zooxanthellae by reef corals Biol. Bull. mar. biol. Lab., Woods Hole 137: 506–523
Parsons, T. R., Maita, Y., Lalli, C. M., (1984). A manual of chemical and biological methods for seawater analysis. Pergamon Press, Oxford
Patton, J. S., Abraham, S., Benson, A. A. (1977). Lipogenesis in the intact coral Pocillopora capitata and its isolated zooxanthellae: evidence for a light-driven carbon cycle between symbiont and host. Mar. Biol. 44: 235–247
Sokal, R. R., Rohlf, F. J. (1981). Biometry. The principles and practice of statistics in biological research. 2nd ed. W. H. Freeman & Co., San Francisco
Stimson, J. S. (1987). Location, quantity and rate of change in quantity of lipids in tissues of Hawaiian hermatypic corals. Bull. mar. Sci. 41: 889–904
Szmant-Froelich, A. (1981). Coral nutrition: comparison of the fate of14C from ingested labelled brine shrimp and from the uptake of NaH14CO3 by its zooxanthellae. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 55: 133–144
Trench, R. K. (1971). The physiology and biochemistry of zooxanthellae symbiotic with marine coelenterates. I. The assimilation of photosynthetic products of zooxanthellae by two marine coelenterates. Proc. R. Soc. (Ser. B.) 177: 225–235
Tytler, E. M., Davies, P. S. (1984). Photosynthetic production and respiratory energy expenditure in the anemone Anemonia sulcata (Pennant). J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 81: 73–86
Zar, J. H. (1974). Biostatistical analysis. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by J. Mauchline, Oban
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Harland, A.D., Fixter, L.M., Davies, P.S. et al. Effect of light on the total lipid content and storage lipids of the symbiotic sea anemone Anemonia viridis . Mar. Biol. 112, 253–258 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00702469
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00702469