Practical implementation of in vitro culture of Lanice conchilega (Polychaeta) in a coastal defence context

ABSTRACT

Current coastal protection measures become increasingly insufficient under circumstances of climate change and increasing anthropogenic pressures. Aggregations of the ecosystem engineer Lanice conchilega (Pallas, 1766) stabilize the sediment bed of sandy shorelines. Therefore, this polychaete is considered an interesting target species in the search for nature-inspired designs in coastal zone management. This study investigated the potential of L. conchilega as a resilient coastal builder by trying to cultivate them and enhancing the larval settling process by using artificial substrata. A closed Recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) combining spawning induction and larval rearing was designed and tested. The tanks with adults were exposed to different photoperiods prior to water temperature rise. A spawning and fertilisation event was recorded in the 0:24 Light:Dark (LD) tank up to the trochophore stage. Additionally, the temperature-shock spawning induction method was experimentally proved effective. All practical experience on the in vitro spawning induction and larval rearing of L. conchilega is discussed and summarized as a guideline for future culturing trials. In vitro substratum settlement experiments with aulophore larvae sampled with plankton hauling revealed the potential of artificial substrata to trap larvae. Nonetheless, a preference in substratum type is not to be excluded yet.

KEYWORDS:

• Sand mason worm
• tube worm
• Aulophora
• aquaculture
• coastal erosion

Acknowledgments

This research received funding from the Flemish innovation and entrepreneurship agency under VLAIO (Vlaams Agentschap Innoveren & Ondernemen) number HBC.2016.0637 Coastbusters: Development of ecosystem-based protection against coastal erosion. All experiments were executed at ILVO (Flanders research institute for agriculture and fisheries). We thank David Vuylsteke for his help on all technical aspects during the experiments, VLIZ (Flanders marine institute) for the use of their research vessel (the Simon Stevin), Sioen industries for providing the textile substrata, eCoast for monitoring, and Jan De Nul & DEME for help during sampling. We thank all partners for their general interest and feedback, and Tim Schellekens and Thibaud Mascart for external proof reading. Liam Wyns was supported by the master programma IMBRSea (International Master’s in marine biological resources).

Author Contributions

Liam Wyns (corresponding author) and Alexia Semeraro contributed equally to this work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Flemish government, Agentschap Innoveren en Ondernemen [HBC.2016.0637], Belgium.