Use of Sediment Geochemistry and Video Analysis for habitat description of the sea cucumber Holothuria (Roweothuria) poli

PDF
Published: Feb 18, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.38806
Keywords:
Holothuroidea benthic habitat sediment variables ROV population density
DIMITRA CHATZIVASILEIOU
Marine Ecology Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013, Crete, Greece
BERNADETH GRACE S. PANANGANAN
Marine Ecology Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013, Crete, Greece
https://orcid.org/0009-0007-5687-4734
PANAGIOTIS D. DIMITRIOU
Marine Ecology Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013, Crete, Greece
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9613-8300
NAFSIKA PAPAGEORGIOU
Department of Agricultural Development, Agrofood & Management of Natural Resources, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, GR 34400 Evripos Complex, Greec
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3039-7910
MARIA LAMPA
Marine Ecology Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013, Crete, Greece
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4628-3304
STEFANIA MANOLAKI
Marine Ecology Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013, Crete, Greece
ZHENGLIN YU
Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, PR Chin
DA HUO
CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Ins,titute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
XIUTANG YUAN
Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, PR China
IOANNIS KARAKASSIS
Marine Ecology Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013, Crete, Greece
Abstract

The increasing commercial value of holothurians has triggered considerable scientific interest. The aim of the study was to investigate Holothuria (Roweothuria) poli populations and sediment characteristics in two contrasting coastal areas in the same geographic region. The first (S1) consists of an exposed sandy, low organic material and well-oxygenated seabed. The other (S2) is sheltered, with a silty sediment, high labile organic matter, and negative redox values. H. poli populations were studied monthly by means of ROV survey while sediment samples were collected seasonally. At S2, holothurians were significantly more abundant and with higher biomass. In both areas, seasonal patterns were observed, with S1 presenting a peak of density and biomass during the summer months, while in S2 the peak was recorded in spring. The H. poli distribution seemed to be determined by environmental and biological factors, including availability of food resources, redox regime in the sediments and spawning-related behaviour.

Article Details
  • Section
  • Research Article

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
  2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g. post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (preferably in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Altamirano, J.P., Recente, C.P., Rodriguez, J.C., 2017. Substrate preference for burying and feeding of sandfish Holothuria scabra juveniles. Fisheries Research, 186, 514-523.
Arndt, S., Jørgensen, B.B., LaRowe, D.E., Middelburg, J., Pancost, R. et al., 2013. Quantifying the degradation of organic matter in marine sediments: A review and synthesis. Earth-science reviews, 123, 53-86.
Aydin, M., 2008. The commercial sea cucumber fishery in Turkey. SPC Beche de Mer Information Bulletin, 28, 40-41. Aydin, M., 2017. Present status of the sea cucumber fishery in Turkey. SPC Beche de Mer Information Bulletin, 37, 30-34.
Aydin, M., 2019. Biometry, density and the biomass of the commercial sea cucumber population of the Aegean Sea. Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 19 (6), 463-474.
Aydın, M., Erkan, S., 2015. Identification and some biological characteristics of commercial sea cucumber in the Turkey coast waters. International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies, 3 (1), 260-265.
Bachelet, G., 1990. The choice of a sieving mesh size in the quantitative assessment of marine macrobenthos: a necessary compromise between aims and constraints. Marine Environmental Research, 30 (1), 21-35.
Boncagni, P., Rakaj, A., Fianchini, A., Vizzini, S., 2019. Preferential assimilation of seagrass detritus by two coexisting Mediterranean sea cucumbers: Holothuria polii and Holothuria tubulosa. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 231, 106464.
Buccheri, E., Foellmer, M.W., Christensen, B. A., Langis, P. et al., 2019. Variation in righting times of Holothuria atra, Stichopus chloronotus, and Holothuria edulis in response to increased seawater temperatures on Heron Reef in the Southern GBR. Journal of marine sciences, 2019 (1), 6179705.
Chatzivasileiou, D., Dimitriou, P.D., Tsikopoulou, I., Lampa, M., Papageorgiou, N., Tsapakis, M., Karakassis, I., 2024. Holothurians play an important role in mitigating the impacts of aquaculture on sediment conditions. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 198, 115856.
Coulon, P., Jangoux, M., 1993. Feeding rate and sediment reworking by the holothuroid Holothuria tubulosa (Echinodermata) in a Mediterranean seagrass bed off Ischia Island, Italy. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 201-204.
Ennas, C., Pasquini, V., Abyaba, H., Addis, P., Sarà, G. et al., 2023. Sea cucumbers bioturbation potential outcomes on marine benthic trophic status under different temperature regimes. Scientific Reports, 13 (1), 11558.
Fazi, S., Amalfitano, S., Pernthaler, J., Puddu, A., 2005. Bacterial communities associated with benthic organic matter in headwater stream microhabitats. Environmental Microbiology, 7 (10), 1633-1640.
Friedman, K., Eriksson, H., Tardy, E., Pakoa, K., 2011. Management of sea cucumber stocks: patterns of vulnerability and recovery of sea cucumber stocks impacted by fishing. Fish and Fisheries, 12 (1), 75-93.
Gianasi, B.L., Hamel, J.F., Montgomery, E.M., Sun, J., Mercier, A., 2021. Current knowledge on the biology, ecology, and commercial exploitation of the sea cucumber Cucumaria frondosa. Reviews in Fisheries Science & Aquaculture, 29 (4), 582-653.
González-Wangüemert, M., Valente, S., Aydin, M., 2015. Effects of fishery protection on biometry and genetic structure of two target sea cucumber species from the Mediterranean Sea. Hydrobiologia, 743 (1), 65-74.
González-Wangüemert, M., Domínguez-Godino, J.A., Aydin, M., 2019. Profitability of the Mediterranean and NE Atlantic new target sea cucumber species: some repercussions for their fisheries management. Indian Journal of Geo Marine Sciences, 48 (11), 1715-1719.
Grane-Feliu, X., Bennett, S., Hereu, B., Aspillaga, E., Santana- Garcon, J., 2019. Comparison of diver operated stereo- video and visual census to assess targeted fish species in Mediterranean marine protected areas. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 520, 151205.
Gray, J.S., Elliott, M., 2009. Ecology of marine sediments: from science to management. Oxford university press.
Günay, D., Emiroğlu, D., Tolon, T., Özden, O., Saygi, H., 2015. Growth and survival rate of juvenile sea cucumbers (Holothuria tubulosa, Gmelin, 1788) at various temperatures. Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 15 (3), 533-541.
Hamel, J.-F., Eeckhaut, I., Conand, C., Sun, J., Caulier, G. et al., 2022. Global knowledge on the commercial sea cucumber Holothuria scabra, In: Mercier, A., Hamel, J.-F. (Eds.), Advances in Marine Biology, 91, 1-286.
Hickman, C.P., Roberts, L.S., Larson, A., Anson, H.I., Eisenhour, D.J., 2006. Integrated principles of zoology. McGraw- Hill New York.
Hou, Y.-R., Sun, Y.-J., Gao, Q.-F., Dong, S.-L., Wen, B. et al., 2018. Bioturbation by sea cucumbers Apostichopus japonicus affects sediment phosphorus forms and sorption characteristics. Aquaculture Environment Interactions, 10, 201-211.
Karakassis, I., Tsapakis, M., Hatziyanni, E., 1998. Seasonal variability in sediment profiles beneath fish farm cages in the Mediterranean. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 162, 243-252.
Kazanidis, G., Lolas, A., Vafidis, D., 2014. Reproductive cycle of the traditionally exploited sea cucumber Holothuria tubulosa (Holothuroidea: Aspidochirotida) in Pagasitikos Gulf, western Aegean Sea, Greece. Turkish Journal of Zoology, 38 (2), 306-315.
Lee, S., Ferse, S.C., Ford, A.K., Wild, C., Mangubhai, S., 2017. Effect of sea cucumber density on the health of reef-flat sediments. Wildlife Conservation Society.
Leite-Castro, L., Souza, J., Salmito-Vanderley, C.s.B., Nunes, J., Hamel, J.-F. , 2016a. Reproductive biology of the sea cucumber Holothuria grisea in Brazil: importance of social and environmental factors in breeding coordination. Marine Biology, 163 (3), 67.
Leite-Castro, L.V., de Souza Junior, J., Salmito-Vanderley, C.S.B., Nunes, J.F., Hamel, J.-F., Mercier, A., 2016b. Reproductive biology of the sea cucumber Holothuria grisea in Brazil: importance of social and environmental factors in breeding coordination. Marine Biology, 163, 1-13.
Levinton, J., 1972. Stability and trophic structure in deposit- feeding and suspension-feeding communities. The American Naturalist, 106 (950), 472-486.
Loh, P.S., 2005. An Assessment of the Contribution of Terrestrial Organic Matter to Total Organic Matter in Sediments in Scottish Sea Lochs. Open University (United Kingdom), England, p. 394.
Lohrer, A.M., Thrush, S.F., Gibbs, M.M., 2004. Bioturbators enhance ecosystem function through complex biogeochemical interactions. Nature, 431 (7012), 1092-1095.
MacTavish, T., Stenton-Dozey, J., Vopel, K., Savage, C., 2012. Deposit-feeding sea cucumbers enhance mineralization and nutrient cycling in organically-enriched coastal sediments. PloS one, 7 (11), e50031.
Mallet, D., Pelletier, D., 2014. Underwater video techniques for observing coastal marine biodiversity: a review of sixty years of publications (1952-2012). Fisheries Research, 154, 44-62.
Mercier, A., Battaglene, S., Hamel, J.-F., 2000. Periodic movement, recruitment and size-related distribution of the sea cucumber Holothuria scabra in Solomon Islands. Hydrobiologia, 440 (1), 81-100.
Mercier, A., Hamel, J.-F., 2009. Advances in marine biology: endogenous and exogenous control of gametogenesis and spawning in echinoderms.
Mezali, K., Lebouazda, Z., Slimane-Tamacha, F., Lila Soualili, D., 2022. Biometry, size structure and reproductive cycle of the sanded sea cucumbers Holothuria poli (Echinodermata, Holothuriidae) from the west Algerian coast. Invertebrate Reproduction & Development, 66 (1), 67-77.
Mezali, K., Soualili, D.L., Neghli, L., Conand, C., 2014. Reproductive cycle of the sea cucumber Holothuria (Platyperona) sanctori (Holothuroidea: Echinodermata) in the southwestern Mediterranean Sea: interpopulation variability. Invertebrate reproduction & development, 58 (3), 179-189.
Moussa, R., Wirawati, I., 2018. Observations on some biological characteristics of Holothuria polii and Holothuria sanctori from Mediterranean Egypt. International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies, 6 (3), 351-357.
Pasquini, V., Addis, P., Giglioli, A.A., Moccia, D., Pusceddu, A., 2023. Outcomes of feeding activity of the sea cucumber Holothuria tubulosa on quantity, biochemical composition, and nutritional quality of sedimentary organic matter. Frontiers in Marine Science, 9, 1010014.
Psarra, S., Tselepides, A., Ignatiades, L., 2000. Primary productivity in the oligotrophic Cretan Sea (NE Mediterranean): seasonal and interannual variability. Progress in Oceanography, 46 (2-4), 187-204.
Purcell, S., Mercier, A., Conand, C., Hamel, J.F., Toral-Granda, V. et al., 2013. Sea cucumber fisheries: Global analysis of stocks, management measures and drivers of overfishing. Fish and Fisheries, 14 (1), 34-59.
Purcell, S.W., Conand, C., Uthicke, S., Byrne, M., 2016. Ecological roles of exploited sea cucumbers, Oceanography and marine biology. CRC Press, pp. 375-394.
Rakaj, A., Fianchini, A., Boncagni, P., Lovatelli, A., Scardi, M. et al., 2018. Spawning and rearing of Holothuria tubulosa: A new candidate for aquaculture in the Mediterranean region. Aquaculture Research, 49 (1), 557-568.
Raoult, V., Tosetto, L., Harvey, C., Nelson, T. M., Reed, J. et al., 2020. Remotely operated vehicles as alternatives to snorkellers for video-based marine research. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 522, 151253.
Robinson, G., Caldwell, G.S., Jones, C.L., Slater, M.J., Stead, S.M., 2015. Redox stratification drives enhanced growth in a deposit-feeding invertebrate: implications for aquaculture bioremediation. Aquaculture Environment Interactions, 8, 1-13.
Sellem, F., Guetat, F., Enaceur, W., Ghorbel-Ouannes, A., Othman, A., Harki, M., Lakuireb, A., Rafrafi, S., 2019. Sea cucumber species from Mediterranean lagoon environments (Tunisia western and eastern Mediterranean). SPC Bechede- Mer Information Bulletin, 39, 54-59.
Slater, M.J., Jeffs, A.G., 2010. Do benthic sediment characteristics explain the distribution of juveniles of the deposit-feeding sea cucumber Australostichopus mollis? Journal of Sea Research, 64 (3), 241-249.
Toral-Granda, V., 2008. Population status, fisheries and trade of sea cucumbers in Latin America and the Caribbean. Sea cucumbers. A global review of fisheries and trade. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper, 516, 213-229.
Tsikopoulou, I., Chatzivasileiou, D., Dimitriou, P.D., Magiopoulos, I., Papageorgiou, N. et al., 2023. Contribution of holothuroids to the bioremediation and stimulation of the benthic microbial metabolism in aquaculture. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 194, 115418.
Uthicke, S., Karez, R., 1999. Sediment patch selectivity in tropical sea cucumbers (Holothurioidea: Aspidochirotida) analysed with multiple choice experiments. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 236 (1), 69-87.
Wang, F., Yang, H., Gao, F., Liu, G., 2008. Effects of acute temperature or salinity stress on the immune response in sea cucumber, Apostichopus japonicus. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology, 151 (4), 491-498.
Zamora, L.N., Yuan, X., Carton, A.G., Slater, M.J., 2018. Role of deposit-feeding sea cucumbers in integrated multitrophic aquaculture: progress, problems, potential and future challenges. Reviews in Aquaculture, 10 (1), 57-74.
Most read articles by the same author(s)