Modeling of the Elements Ca2+, Mg2+ and Si in the Sediments and the Body Walls of Sea Cucumbers in the Tropical Seagrass Meadows

Abstract

The interrelationship of the minerals calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+) and silicon (Si) in the sediments and in the body walls of four tropical sea cucumber species was explored by modeling the concentrations of these minerals. The elemental concentrations of Ca2+, Mg2+ and Si were measured in the body walls and in the ambient sediments occupied by the sea cucumbers Holothuria scabra, H. leucospilota, H. atra and Bohadschia marmorata. The results indicate that the concentrations of Ca2+ and Mg2+ in the body walls of the four sea cucumber species are significantly different from each other, indicating a varying degree of biomineralization across sea cucumber taxa. In contrast, only B. marmorata showed a significant difference in the concentration of Si when compared to the rest of the species tested. Further analysis using linear mixed models revealed that the Ca2+, Mg2+ and Si concentrations in the body walls of the tested sea cucumber species are associated with the sediment concentrations of the same elements. The relatively high concentrations of Ca2+ and Mg2+ in the sediments indicate that these minerals are sufficiently high in sea cucumbers to support their biomineralization. The relationship between the Mg/Ca ratio in the body walls of the sea cucumbers and minerals in the sediments revealed that Si was the only mineral that was not correlated with the Mg/Ca ratio. Predicting the relationship of the elements Ca2+, Mg2+ and Si between the sediments and the body walls of sea cucumbers may be complex due to the various factors that influence the metabolism and biomineralization in sea cucumbers.