FISH mapping of 18S rDNA and (TTAGGG)n sequences in two pipefish species (Gasteroisteiformes: Syngnathidae).
1Istituto di Scienze Marine, Sezione di Venezia, CNR, Castello 1364/a, 30122 Venezia, Italy 2Dipartimento di Biologia Animale, Universita di Palermo, Via Archirafi 18, 90123 Palermo, Italy 3Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Universita “Ca’ Foscari”, Castello 2737/b 30122 Venezia, Italy 4Istituto di Ecologia e Biologia Ambientale, Universita di Urbino “Carlo Bo”, Via I. Maggetti 22, 61029 Urbino (PU), Italy
Trophic adaptability shapes isotopic niche of the resident fish Aphanius fasciatus across lagoon habitats
Abstract Coastal lagoons are characterized by high habitat heterogeneity where natural habitats coexist with artificial ones, historically set up to support human activities. Increasing anthropogenic pressure may lead to progressive degradation of the most vulnerable lagoonal habitats and the associated biological communities. One of the strictly estuarine-dependent fish species that may be affected by the degradation of lagoon habitats is the South European toothcarp Aphanius fasciatus, archetype of Mediterranean lagoon residents. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes were used to disentangle the influence of habitat types (natural vs artificial) and fish community (multi-trophic context) on…
Vegetated Habitats Trophically Support Early Development Stages of a Marine Migrant Fish in a Coastal Lagoon
Understanding the trophic ecology of early developmental stages of commercial fish species migrating between sea and coastal lagoons is crucial to effective management of nursery habitats and resulting resources. While most information on diet shift of the gilthead seabream Sparus aurata comes from studies in experimental conditions, here we investigated the trophic niche dynamics of post-larvae, juveniles and sub-adults in natural environment, hypothesising that habitat and resources use of marine and lagoonal sites will exhibit strong relationship with ontogeny of the species. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes showed evidence of a clear shift in the trophic niche features, trophic posit…
Valuing the unmarketable: an ecological approach to the externalities estimate in fishing activities
In a rapidly changing world, sustainability, if it can be said to exist at all, is concept that has attained mythic status, often pursued and rarely reached. In order to improve our capability to cope with environmental problems, adopting an Ecosystem Approach has been suggested. One of the major challenges in the implementation of this new paradigm relates to control of externalities. The recognition and quantification of externalities is often cast as valuing the unmarketable, and there are several approaches that have been proposed. Here, we analyze the opportunity to “feed” the economic valuation with ecological concepts. From an ecological perspective, the energy required to sustain a …