1
|
Patrizia S, Vasilis R, Giulia C. Experimental thermocline deepening highlights the resilience of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica: An opportunity to investigate shoot adaptability. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 189:114824. [PMID: 36931153 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The deepening of the thermocline, correlated to the rising temperature, can contribute affecting seagrass performance in a changing climate scenario. Here, the effect of the thermocline deepening on the seagrass Posidonia oceanica has been investigated in Cyprus through a manipulative experiment that allowed also testing the effects of the irradiance, origin depth and translocation. P. oceanica shoots were collected from 31 m of depth and transplanted at 12 m under a shading net, simulating the 31 m light conditions. Morphology (i.e. leaf area, leaf necrosis, number of leaves) and physiology (i.e. growth rate) were evaluated. Thermocline and origin depth effects were found with an increase of leaf necrosis, while a translocation effect was highlighted by a decrease in leaf area. No differences in shoot growth rate due to treatments were found. This experiment indicated an overall wide morphological and physiological acclimation of P. oceanica cuttings in coping with future thermocline conditions and it indirectly provides information for restoration efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stipcich Patrizia
- Dipartimento di Architettura, Design e Urbanistica, Università degli Studi di Sassari, Via Piandanna 4, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
| | - Resaikos Vasilis
- Enalia Physis Environmental Research Centre (ENALIA), Acropoleos St. 2, Aglanjia 101, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Ceccherelli Giulia
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche Fisiche Matematiche e Naturali, Università degli Studi di Sassari, Via Piandanna 4, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Azzola A, Atzori F, Bianchi CN, Cadoni N, Frau F, Mora F, Morri C, Oprandi A, Orrù PE, Montefalcone M. Variability between observers does not hamper detecting change over time in a temperate reef. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 177:105617. [PMID: 35452902 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Marine ecosystems are subject to global and local impacts, both contributing to dramatic changes in coastal communities. Assessing such changes requires time series or the revisitation of sites first surveyed in the past. In both cases, data are not necessarily collected by the same observers, which could lead to a bias in the results. In the Marine Protected Area (MPA) of Capo Carbonara (Sardinia, Italy), established in 1998, rocky reef communities were first assessed in 2000 by two diving scientists. Twenty years later, the same rocky reefs were resurveyed using the same method by two other diving scientists. In both surveys, semi-quantitative data on conspicuous species were collected at five sites in four depth zones, providing the possibility of assessing change over time. To explore the influence of climate and local pressures, existing data on sea surface temperature, resident population, tourism and diving activities were analysed. The reef communities of the Capo Carbonara MPA have distinctly changed over time, mostly under the effect of seawater warming, as highlighted by the occurrence of thermophilic species and by other climate-related indicators. On the other side, species vulnerable to local human pressures have increased over time, demonstrating the effectiveness of the protection measures undertaken by the MPA. Comparing data collected by four different observers in the two periods demonstrated that change over time was significantly greater than variability between the observers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Azzola
- DiSTAV, Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy.
| | - Fabrizio Atzori
- Capo Carbonara Marine Protected Area, Villasimius, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Carlo Nike Bianchi
- DiSTAV, Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Cadoni
- Capo Carbonara Marine Protected Area, Villasimius, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Francesca Frau
- Capo Carbonara Marine Protected Area, Villasimius, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Federico Mora
- DiSTAV, Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
| | - Carla Morri
- DiSTAV, Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
| | - Alice Oprandi
- DiSTAV, Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
| | - Paolo Emanuele Orrù
- DSCG, Department of Chemical and Geological Science, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Monica Montefalcone
- DiSTAV, Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Piazzi L, Cinti MF, Guala I, Grech D, La Manna G, Pansini A, Pinna F, Stipcich P, Ceccherelli G. Variations in coralligenous assemblages from local to biogeographic spatial scale. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 169:105375. [PMID: 34111774 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2021.105375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The present study aims at contributing to the knowledge of the spatial variability of coralligenous reefs through the evaluation of patterns ranging from local to biogeographic scale around the island of Sardinia. The coralligenous reef assemblages of six areas were studied through a hierarchical sampling design: three sites per area were selected, in each site three plots were sampled and in each plot ten photographic samples were collected. The structure of coralligenous reefs across closed biogeographic regions is described, highlighting that nearly pristine assemblages, although characterized by similar high diversity, can be either dominated by animals, such as gorgonians and bryozoans, or macroalgae. The observed variations seem largely related to biogeographic patterns rather than spatial distance, supporting the need to identify specific reference conditions to assess the ecological quality of this habitat depending on the biogeographic area to be monitored.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L Piazzi
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Farmacia, Università di Sassari, Via Piandanna 4, 07100, Sassari, Italy.
| | - M F Cinti
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Farmacia, Università di Sassari, Via Piandanna 4, 07100, Sassari, Italy
| | - I Guala
- IMC - International Marine Centre, Loc. Sa Mardini, Torregrande, 09170, Oristano, Italy
| | - D Grech
- IMC - International Marine Centre, Loc. Sa Mardini, Torregrande, 09170, Oristano, Italy
| | - G La Manna
- MareTerra Onlus - Environmental Research and Conservation, Regione Sa Londra 9, 07041, Alghero (SS), Italy
| | - A Pansini
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Farmacia, Università di Sassari, Via Piandanna 4, 07100, Sassari, Italy
| | - F Pinna
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Farmacia, Università di Sassari, Via Piandanna 4, 07100, Sassari, Italy
| | - P Stipcich
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Farmacia, Università di Sassari, Via Piandanna 4, 07100, Sassari, Italy
| | - G Ceccherelli
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Farmacia, Università di Sassari, Via Piandanna 4, 07100, Sassari, Italy
| |
Collapse
|