Effect of Dissolved Oxygen on Occurrence of Tunic Softness Syndrome in Sea Squirt Halocynthia roretzi, Tongyeong, South Coast of Korea

This study analyzed the occurrence of tunic softness, survival rate, metabolic rate and histopathologic changes arising from the effect of hypoxic environment in order to find the causes of occurrences of tunic softness, which manifests as the key phenomenon of mass mortality of Halocynthia roretzi. Regarding the survival of H. roretzi with reduction in dissolved oxygen, all the entities died on the 4th day of exposure to the dissolved oxygen concentration of $2mg\;L^{-1}$ while 50% mortality was observed on the 5th day of exposure to the dissolved oxygen concentration of $3mg\;L^{-1}$. Therefore the 5 days-$LC_{50}$ was found to be $3.55mg\;L^{-1}$ (1.86~$4.96mg\;L^{-1}$). However, occurrence of tunic softness was not observed during the period of exposure to low oxygen concentration. The oxygen consumption rate significantly decreases at the dissolved oxygen concentration of less than $5mg\;L^{-1}$ in comparison to the control group. Therefore, it is presumed that H. roretzi controls the respiration rate for prescribed period of time when exposed to hypoxic environment. Regarding the histopathologic changes in the gill, digestive gland and cyst of H. roretzi due to hypoxic environment, necrosis of epithelial layer, in filtration of blood cells, and condensation of nucleus that compose each of the organs were observed. Regarding morphological changes, the decrease in volume with shrinking of the tunic, discoloration of the internal organs and necrosis of gill and hepatopancreas were observed.

멍게의 물렁증 발생에 미치는 용존산소의 영향

본 연구는 멍게 대량폐사의 주요 현상으로 나타나고 있는 물렁증 발생의 원인을 찾기 위하여 저산소의 영향에 의한 물렁증 발생, 생존률, 대사율 및 병리조직학적 변화를 분석하였다. 용존산소의 감소에 따른 멍게의 생존률은 용존산소 농도 $2mg\;L^{-1}$에서 노출 4일째 모두 폐사하였으며, $3mg\;L^{-1}$에서는 노출 5일째 50%를 나타내어 5days-$LC_{50}$은 $3.55mg\;L^{-1}$ (1.86~$4.96mg\;L^{-1}$)로 나타났다. 그러나 저산소에 노출된 기간 동안 물렁증 발생은 관찰되지 않았다. 산소소비율은 대조구와 비교하여 용존산소 농도 $5mg\;L^{-1}$ 이하에서 유의하게 감소하여 저산소에 노출되면 일정기간 호흡률을 조절하는 것으로 추정된다. 저산소에 의한 멍게의 새낭, 소화선 및 피낭의 병리조직학적인 변화는 각 기관을 구성하고 있는 상피 세포층의 괴사, 혈구세포의 침윤, 세포핵 응축 및 변형 등이 관찰되었다. 형태적인 변화는 피낭이 쪼글어들어 부피가 작아지고 내부 기관은 탈색되고 아가미와 간췌장의 괴사가 관찰되었다.