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RESEARCH PRODUCT
Otolith fingerprints reveals potential pollution exposure of newly settled juvenile Sparus aurata
Regina Mertz-krausHana UvanovićDario VrdoljakMelita PehardaKrešimir MarkulinSanja Matić-skokosubject
0106 biological sciencesPollutionRange (biology)media_common.quotation_subject010501 environmental sciencesAquatic ScienceOceanography01 natural sciencesOtolithic MembranemedicineAnimalsJuvenileEcosystemEcosystem0105 earth and related environmental sciencesmedia_commonOtolith010604 marine biology & hydrobiologyPollutionSea BreamFisheryJuveniles Otoliths chemistry Sparus aurata Nurseries Pollution Adriatic Seamedicine.anatomical_structureThreatened speciesBiological dispersalEnvironmental PollutionLine scandescription
Abstract Coastal ecosystems are increasingly threatened by a wide range of human activities. Fish otolith chemistry, by creating a unique specific signature, can be used as a natural tag for determining life stage dispersal, spatial connectivity and population structure. In this study, we tested whether differences in otolith composition among juveniles of gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata, could enable their proper allocation to polluted areas based on higher concentrations of elements related to contaminants. Otoliths were embedded, sectioned and analysed by LA-ICP-MS in line scan mode. Multivariate analysis confirmed clear separation between sites and elements. Samples from the site under the strongest anthropogenic impact from industrial and agricultural river input were characterized by higher values of Pb/Ca and Zn/Ca. However, these relatively low values likely do not have a negative effect on S. aurata recruitment, though they could serve for identifying the contribution of polluted nurseries to stock dynamics.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-06-17 | Marine Pollution Bulletin |