0000000000104125
AUTHOR
Maria Pirrotta
Area Marina Protetta Isole Egadi: Percorsi Naturalistici ed archeologici
Genetic variability of Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile in Mediterranean transition zone
Studi applicativi finalizzati all’attivazione del sistema di monitoraggio delle acque marino costiere della Regione Sicilia. Standardizzazione di descrittori biotici in Posidonia oceanica e nelle comunità meiobentoniche di fondi mobili e predisposizione di criteri per il posizionamento di reti di sorveglianza della qualità dell’acqua (D. Lgs. 152/99 e Direttiva 2000/60/UE)
The Stagnone of Marsala lagoon
The Stagnone of Marsala is an oligotrophic lagoon situated on the western coast of Sicily. The area has been under study since the mid-nineteenth century. Research has focused on its physiographic, chemical-physical, biological, ecological features and, particularly, on submerged vegetation. Its main biotic component, a meadow of Posidonia oceanica, is distributed among peculiar reef formations inside and outside the lagoon, which are extremely interesting from an ecological and environmental point of view. The seagrass grows near to its thermal and salinity tolerance level in the inner lagoon, where it is partially replaced by Cymodocea nodosa and Caulerpa prolifera meadows. Algal assembla…
Cultivable Fungal Endophytes in Roots, Rhizomes and Leaves of Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile along the Coast of Sicily, Italy
The presence of endophytic fungi in the roots, rhizomes, and leaves of Posidonia oceanica was evaluated in different localities of the Sicilian coast. Samples of roots, rhizomes, and leaves were submitted to isolation techniques, and the obtained fungal colonies were identified by morphological and molecular (rRNA sequencing) analysis. Fungal endophytes occurred mainly in roots and occasionally in rhizomes and leaves. Lulwoana sp. was the most frequent of the isolated taxa, suggesting a strong interaction with the host. In addition, eight other fungal taxa were isolated. In particular, fungi of the genus Ochroconis and family Xylariaceae were identified as endophytes in healthy plants at al…
Vulnerability of Posidonia oceanica meadow inside a coastal lagoon (Stagnone di Marsala – Western Sicily)
Uso di sistemi acustici ad alta risoluzione nel monitoraggio del limite inferiore di Posidonia oceanica nel Golfo di Palermo
Lavori per il potenziamento delle opere marittime esistenti per la messa in sicurezza del porto di Castellammare del Golfo (ai sensi del’art. 5 della L.R. 21/98) riguardante i lavori di prolungamento della diga foranea e delle opere interne d’accosto e di arredo portuale.
The use of high-resolution seismo-acoustic echosounder imaging for estimation carbon sink in P. oceanica dead matte
Stato di Qualità Ecologica (EcoQ) delle acque costiere in Mediterraneo mediante l’indice biotico POSIX (POSidonia IndeX)
Serie storiche della composizione isotopica (δ13C e δ15N) di Posidonia oceanica L. (Delile) in un’area interessata da emissioni idrotermali
Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile come indicatore di impatto urbano nel Golfo di Palermo (Sicilia)
Biodegradable anchor modular system for transplanting Posidonia oceanica cuttings
Effect of explosive shallow hydrothermal vents on δ13C and growth performance in the seagrass Posidonia oceanica
1. Explosive volcanic submarine activity is expected to affect seagrass communities due to sudden and dramatic changes in the physical and chemical features of sea water and sediments, with possibly large ecosystem effects. However, seagrass response to the harsh environmental conditions that arise due to explosive volcanism is as yet unexplored as it is not easy to predict when and where an eruption will occur. Here, we investigate the uptake of hydrothermal carbon within the seagrass Posidonia oceanica by the analysis of d13C and growth rates in tissue laid down before and after an exceptional and massive hydrothermal gas release in the Aeolian Islands (Italy, Mediterranean Sea). 2. Hydro…
Posidonia oceanica living in enclosed coastal lagoon as model for testing the effect of climate change on organism near their limit of thermal tolerance
Influence of hydrothermal vents on phytobenthic communities in the Aeolian Islands (Tyrrhenian Sea): preliminary results
Transplantation assessment of degraded Posidonia oceanica habitats: site selection and long-term monitoring
A model developed for Zostera marina was adapted and used to select suitable areas for Posidonia oceanica transplantation in the Gulf of Palermo, where recent rehabilitation programmes have reduced human pressure. This model consists of three steps: (1) habitat selection, by calculation of the Preliminary Transplant Suitability Index (PTSI); (2) field assessments and test-transplanting, to evaluate the site suitability and to estimate the effects of tearing on transplant units (about 50%); (3) identification of suitable restoration sites, by calculation of the Transplant Suitability Index (TSI). A new parameter was added to the literature model: the number of grids detached, which is linked…
Le macroalghe bentoniche di substrato duro del mesolitorale e dell’infralitorale superiore del Golfo di Palermo: prime considerazioni
Attività di supporto per la redazione del piano di Tutela della Acque (di cui all’art. 44 del D. Lgs. 11 maggio 1999 n. 152 e s.m.i.). Fase di analisi: classificazione dello Stato Ecologico e dello Stato Ambientale dei corpi idrici superficiali. Laghi naturali ed artificiali
Detection and mapping of Posidonia oceanica dead matte by high-resolution acoustic imaging
A high-resolution echosounder was used to acquire seismo-acoustic records of P. oceanica dead matte patches in the Gulf of Palermo. Seismo-acoustic profiling enabled detection of dead matte structures that are invisible to visual inspection, being hidden by variable layers of sandy sediment. The thickness of the dead matte measured reaches a maximum of 2.2 m. The mean volume of the matte per unit area of seabed surface (MEIx) varies from 0.2 to 2.2 m 3 /m 2 , with an average value of 1.6 m 3 /m 2 and a total volume estimated at 73,000 m 3 . From literature data and from the volume of dead matte calculated in the present work we estimated that total carbon accumulated in the matte is about 2…
Uso del Sistema Sonar Multi-Beam (MBSS) per la cartografia delle comunità bentoniche
Studi applicativi finalizzati all’attivazione del sistema di monitoraggio delle acque marino costiere della Regione Sicilia.
Effect of explosive shallow hydrothermal vents on δ13C and growth performance in the seagrass Posidonia oceanica
Summary 1. Explosive volcanic submarine activity is expected to affect seagrass communities due to sudden and dramatic changes in the physical and chemical features of sea water and sediments, with possibly large ecosystem effects. However, seagrass response to the harsh environmental conditions that arise due to explosive volcanism is as yet unexplored as it is not easy to predict when and where an eruption will occur. Here, we investigate the uptake of hydrothermal carbon within the seagrass Posidonia oceanica by the analysis of δ13C and growth rates in tissue laid down before and after an exceptional and massive hydrothermal gas release in the Aeolian Islands (Italy, Mediterranean Sea). …
Seagrass meadows at the extreme of environmental tolerance: the case ofPosidonia oceanicain a semi-enclosed coastal lagoon
Atoll-like structures of the endemic Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica were encountered in the innermost area of the Stagnone di Marsala, a semi-enclosed coastal lagoon along the western coasts of Sicily. The area is characterized by limited water exchange with the open sea and by a marked seasonal variation of water salinity and temperature, reaching beyond the theoretical tolerance limits of the species. In the present study we determined the genetic composition of the atoll-like structures, as well as the growth performance and flowering rate of these stands. We also assessed whether and to what extent the atoll-like structures are genetically isolated from plants growing in mead…
Recupero di fondali a matte morta nel Golfo di Palermo mediante riforestazione con Posidonia oceanica
Elementi in tracce in Posidonia oceanica in un’area fortemente industrializzata.
Spatial and temporal distribution of Posidonia oceanica flowering in Sicilian and surrounding islands coasts.
Letter to the editor regarding the article “Taking advantage of seagrass recovery potential to develop novel and effective meadow rehabilitation methods” by Alagna et al., published in Marine Pollution Bulletin, 149: 2019 (110578)
Alagna et al. (2019) suggest new transplantation methods for Posidonia oceanica (Linnaeus) Delile, inspired by its natural recovery process after disturbance due to dredging operations for gas-pipelines. They observe that P. oceanica vegetative fragments naturally settled only on loose calcareous stones deployed to fill the trenches of the gas-pipeline. No recovery was noted on dead matte, sand and large calcarenitic boulders. Following a new pilot restoration project currently ongoing in the same area, we demonstrate that natural recovery also occurs on dead matte. After examining other alternative transplantation methods for P. oceanica, the Authors suggest using their "habitat enhancemen…
Caratterizzazione morfologica preliminare di fasci abortiti in Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile
Genetic variability of Posidonia oceanica meadow inside the Stagnone di Marsala lagoon.
Le banquettes di Posidonia oceanica
Studi applicativi finalizzati all’attivazione del sistema di monitoraggio delle acque marino costiere della Regione Sicilia.Studi applicativi finalizzati all’attivazione del sistema di monitoraggio delle acque marino costiere della Regione Sicilia
Studi applicativi finalizzati all’attivazione del sistema di monitoraggio delle acque marino costiere della Regione Sicilia. Stato ecologico delle coste siciliane e inquinanti inorganici ed organici nei sedimenti delle aree a rischio ambientale (D. Lgs. 152/99).
Influence of hydrodynamic conditions on the production and fate ofPosidonia oceanicain a semi-enclosed shallow basin (Stagnone di Marsala, Western Sicily)
An integrated approach using hydrodynamic and transport numerical models, lepidochronology and stable isotope analysis was used to investigate how local hydrodynamic conditions influence the primary production and fate of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica in a Mediterranean semi-enclosed marine system (Stagnone di Marsala). The water mass exchange aptitude of different sectors of the basin was analysed, and data collected were used to select two sectors (colonized by Posidonia oceanica showing the lowest and highest water exchange values) for biological analyses. According to the mean dispersal coefficient differences simulated by the hydrodynamic model, growth rate and primary production of …
Discriminating between Posidonia oceanica meadows and sand substratum using multibeam sonar
Abstract Di Maida, G., Tomasello, A., Luzzu, F., Scannavino, A., Pirrotta, M., Orestano, C., and Calvo, S. 2011. Discriminating between Posidonia oceanica meadows and sand substratum using multibeam sonar. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: 12–19. High-resolution, multibeam sonar (MBS) (455 kHz) was used to identify two typologies of seabed 8 m deep: Posidonia oceanica meadow and sandy substratum. The results showed that the heterogeneity of the architecture of the P. oceanica canopy and the relatively simple morphology of a sandy substratum can be detected easily by statistical indices such as standard deviation or range-of-beam depth. Based on these indices, an automated classification…
Impatto dell’urbanizzazione costiera sulla distribuzione batimetrica di Posidonia oceanica.
Compatibilità geologico-strutturale ed ambientale delle opere di adeguamento e completamento dell’impianto di depurazione sito in località Omo Morto (Ustica) e realizzazione della condotta sottomarina di scarico
Un sistema integrato per ottimizzare le operazioni di monitoraggio e verità-mare
Analisi delle performance di crescita di Posidonia oceanica attraverso l’uso di modelli lineari generalizzati misti (GLMM)
Seagrasses along the Sicilian coasts
All seagrass species known from the Mediterranean basin have been recorded along the Sicilian coast, where studies have been carried out at a very local scale and information is fragmented or confined to the grey literature. The objective of this article is to summarise and evaluate current knowledge on seagrass species on the Sicilian coasts, providing an overview of species distribution, genetic diversity, biology and ecology, based on the literature and unpublished data. Most literature studies have been carried out on Posidonia oceanica meadows because of their wide distribution, complexity and ecological importance. In this study, the analyses carried out on P. oceanica structural and …
Tecnica di reimpianto mediante supporto biodegradabile.
Criteri di posizionamento delle stazioni per il monitoraggio del limite inferiore delle praterie di Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile.
Indici ed indicatori biotici in Posidonia oceanica nella valutazione e controllo degli habitat marini costieri.
Attività di supporto per la redazione del piano di Tutela della Acque (di cui all’art. 44 del D. Lgs. 11 maggio 1999 n. 152 e s.m.i.). Fase di analisi: classificazione dello Stato Ecologico e dello Stato Ambientale dei corpi idrici superficiali. Corsi d’acqua
Influenza del substrato su crescita dei rizomi e biometria fogliare di Posidonia oceanica
Sincronizzazione spaziale di serie storiche di crescita in Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile
Lulwoana sp., a dark septate endophyte (DSE) in roots of Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile seagrass
Posidonia oceanica is the most common, widespread and important monocotyledon seagrass in the Mediterranean Basin, and hosts a large biodiversity of species, including microorganisms with key roles in the marine environment. In this study, we ascertain the presence of a fungal endophyte in the roots of P. oceanica growing on different substrata (rock, sand and matte) in two Sicilian marine meadows. Staining techniques on root fragments and sections, in combination with microscope observations, were used to visualise the fungal presence and determine the percentage of fungal colonisation (FC) in this tissue. In root fragments, statistical analysis of the FC showed a higher mean in roots anch…
Mapping Posidonia oceanica lower limit combining high resolution instruments (SSS and MBS)
Organismi perforatori delle scaglie di Posidonia oceanica nel Mediterraneo sud-occidentale.
Resilience of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica following pulse-type disturbance.
Understanding the response of species to disturbance and the ability to recover is crucial for preventing their potential collapse and ecosystem phase shifts. Explosive submarine activity, occurring in shallow volcanic vents, can be considered as a natural pulse disturbance, due to its suddenness and high intensity, potentially affecting nearby species and ecosystems. Here, we present the response of Posidonia oceanica, a long-lived seagrass, to an exceptional submarine volcanic explosion, which occurred in the Aeolian Archipelago (Italy, Mediterranean Sea) in 2002, and evaluate its resilience in terms of time required to recover after such a pulse event. The study was carried out in 2011 i…
A new multivariate Biotic Index to assess Ecological Quality status of Mediterranean coastal waters
Modelling the relationship between sexual reproduction and rhizome growth in Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile
The relationship between flowering and growth performance of Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile in meadows distributed along the south-eastern coast of Sicily (Italy) was investigated by means of a statistical model (generalized linear mixed model) combined with the lepidochronological analysis. Over a 28-year period, 67 floral stalk remains were observed. The highest flowering index was recorded in lepidochronological year 1998 (10.1%) and the Inflorescence Frequency per age showed a clear decrease corresponding to 15-year-old shoots. The sexual reproductive event had positive effects on rhizome elongation (cm year−1) and leaf production (no. leaves year−1) in the same flowering year, whilst n…
Attività di supporto per la redazione del piano di Tutela della Acque (di cui all’art. 44 del D. Lgs. 11 maggio 1999 n. 152 e s.m.i.). Fase di analisi: classificazione dello Stato Ecologico e dello Stato Ambientale dei corpi idrici superficiali. Acque marine costiere
Reference growth charts for Posidonia oceanica seagrass: An effective tool for assessing growth performance by age and depth
Abstract Growth performance of rhizomes has become among the most used descriptors for monitoring Posidonia oceanica seagrass dynamics and population status. However, ability to detect any change of growth in space or in time is often confounded by natural age-induced decline. To overcome this problem, we have produced reference growth charts, which in other areas are universally recognized as a very powerful tool for comparing growth of living beings during their ontogeny. Reference growth charts involving different P. oceanica growth performance measures (speed of growth and primary production of rhizomes) have been built using proper statistical frameworks (GLMM, Segmented and Quantile R…
Le fanerogame marine in Sicilia
Un sistema integrato di telerilevamento e modellistica idrodinamica per il monitoraggio delle praterie a Posidonia oceanica
Eventi riproduttivi sessuati in Posidonia oceanica lungo le coste della Sicilia.
Spatial variability of bathymetric distribution of Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile lower limits
Curve di crescita di riferimento nel monitoraggio di Posidonia oceanica: alcune stime preliminari
Effect of different substrata on rhizome growth, leaf biometry and shoot density of Posidonia oceanica
The effects of different substratum typologies on Posidonia oceanica growth and morphology were estimated in four Sicilian meadows using Generalized and Linear Mixed Models combined with retrodating and biometric analyses. Substratum exerted a multiple effect, resulting in different biometric features for P. oceanica shoots settled on rock from those growing on sand and matte. On rock, values for growth rate, leaf length and shoot surface were lower than those on other substrata, with 42%, 23% and 32% the highest degree of difference respectively. The present study may have interesting methodological consequences for the comprehensive understanding of the causative variables potentially aff…
Root hair anatomy and morphology in Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile and substratum typology: First observations of a spiral form
Abstract The morpho-anatomical root hair features of P. oceanica ramets collected in meadows settled on different substrata (sand, matte and rock) were analysed. On each substratum, nine plagiothropic rhizomes each one composed by 3–6 interconnected short shoots were collected between April and May 2016 at 10 m of depth. On sand and on rock, the adventitious roots showed two distinct tubular and spiral-shaped hairs, clustered in yellowish-gray gelatinous pads. Tubular root hair tips were dactiliform and generally attached to grains of rock fragments. Moreover, a sub-circular swelling zone occurred. On matte , root hairs did not form gelatinous pads, were very short and had a simple distal p…
Tecnica di reimpianto mediante griglie metalliche
Recupero dei fondali degradati del Golfo di Palermo: studio preliminare di riforestazione con Posidonia oceanica
Analisi dei pattern di distribuzione di Posidonia oceanica lungo gradienti batimetrici
Genetic isolation of Posidonia oceanica in a western Sicily coastal lagoon
Analisi della ripartizione batimetria del limite inferiore delle praterie di Posidonia oceanica (Linnaeus) Delile lungo le coste siciliane
Confondimento dell’età nell’analisi degli effetti di perturbazioni antropiche su variabili biometriche di Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile
Cambiamenti climatici e declino della prateria di Posidonia oceanica in una laguna costiera mediterranea.
Multibeam Sonar System for Detecting Seabed Features
Selezione di aree per il reimpianto di Posidonia oceanica mediante modello multicriteriale ed impianti pilota
Effetti dell’impatto antropico su Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile lungo le coste tirreniche della Sicilia.
Compatibilità ambientale delle attività inerenti il completamento delle opere marittime esistenti per la messa in sicurezza del porto di Isola delle Femmine ai sensi dell’art. 5 della l.r. 21/98.
Distribuzione dei borers nelle praterie di Posidonia oceanica della Sicilia
Shoot age as a confounding factor on detecting the effect of human-induced disturbance on Posidonia oceanica growth performance
Abstract The response of orthotropic rhizome elongation and primary production of Posidonia oceanica to anthropogenic perturbations and potential confounding effects of shoot age were assessed using a Linear Multilevel Model (LMM). This model examined the confounding effect of age by comparing the estimates of impact and variance components obtained by excluding and including Age as an explanatory variable. Age had a negative effect on rhizome elongation and primary production with an annual decrease of 0.6 mm y − 1 and 7 mg dw y − 1 respectively. According to the LMM when age effect was omitted, the differences between disturbed and control locations in rhizome elongation and primary produ…