Search results for " Bioindicator"
showing 10 items of 26 documents
Organic enrichment effects on a marine meiofauna community, with focus on Kinorhyncha
2016
Abstract Within the framework of a programme aimed at monitoring the impact of fish farming on the marine biota, we have had the opportunity to study the effect of the organic enrichment caused by the fish farm on meiofauna abundances and Kinorhyncha communities’ structure over two farming cycles. Up to now, studies on kinorhynchs have focussed mostly on the taxonomy, biogeography, and the ultrastructure, and, more recently, on the phylogenetic aspects of the taxon. Only few studies have dealt with the ecology of these creatures and studies focusing on the response of these animals to disturbances of anthropogenic origin are rare. The study took place in the Western Mediterranean and fauna …
Using Boops boops (osteichthyes) to assess microplastic ingestion in the Mediterranean Sea
2020
Abstract This study assesses microplastic ingestion in Boops boops at different geographical areas in the Mediterranean Sea. A total of 884 fish were caught at 20 coastal sites in Spain, France, Italy and Greece and analyzed using a common methodological protocol. Microplastics were found in 46.8% of the sampled fish, with an average number of items per individual of 1.17 ± 0.07. Filaments were the predominant shape type, while polyethylene and polypropylene were indicated by FTIR as the most common polymer types of ingested microplastics. The frequency of occurrence, as well as the abundance and proportion of types (size, shape, color and polymer) of ingested microplastics, varied among ge…
Descriptors of Posidonia oceanica meadows: Use and application
2005
This work benefited partly from the financial support of the European program ΓNTERREG IIIA Corsica, Sardinia. Tuscany
The morphological diversity within a species can obscure the correct identification
2022
Critical points of various diagnostic characters and a paucity of information relating to the geographical distribution of several marine species can hinder real species delimitation, particularly if they are supposed to be cosmopolitan. Such constraints characterize many amphipod species and are mainly due to the variation in morphological characters during growth. Specifically, the benthic filter-feeding corophiid Cheiriphotis mediterranea Myers, 1983 displays different shapes for the male gnathopod 2 as it grows. This variation has hitherto never been described but an extensive sampling has provided us with the opportunity of studying it in detail. More than six thousand individuals, bel…
Statistical characterisation of heavy metal contents inParacentrotus lividusfrom Mediterranean Sea
2014
This work focuses on the estimation of Hg, As, Cr, Ni, Cu, V, Cd and Pb by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in 135 adult specimens of Paracentrotus lividus collected in different coastal areas of Sicily (Gela, Punta Secca, Ragusa (RG), Siracusa, Priolo, Catania, Messina, Milazzo, Brolo and Filicudi), in order to monitor the Mediterranean marine ecosystem by use of sea urchin as bioindicator. Moreover, the paper deals with the statistical classification of the tested samples according to the sampling area based on metal concentrations. The descriptive statistics findings were obtained and, a starting multivariate matrix was built. Data-sets were subjected to Kruskal-Wallis test t…
Una inaspettata biodiversità valutata con la trappola malaise: il caso dei collemboli di Lampedusa
2013
All‟interno di uno studio sulla biodiversità dell‟entomofauna dell‟Isola di Lampedusa, che verteva principalmente sulla fauna aerea, si sono trovati diversi taxa normalmente appartenenti alla fauna edafica. Infatti per il monitoraggio sono state utilizzate trappole di tipo Malaise internazionalmente impiegate e consigliate nei protocolli per il monitoraggio di popolazioni di insetti volatori. Inaspettatamente, anche se qualche altro caso è citato in letteratura, si sono rinvenuti diversi taxa più tipicamente rappresentativi della fauna del suolo ed in particolare dell‟epifauna quali chilopodi, collemboli, coleotteri carabidi. La nostra attenzione si è focalizzata sui collemboli in quanto so…
Bryophytes as ecological indicators in the beech woods of sicily
2019
Beech woods, which have in Sicily one of the southernmost places of their distribution area, are localized in the mountain belt of North and North-Eastern Sicily, at an altitude of 1300-1900 m, reaching 900 m on the Peloritani. They are referred to the priority habitat 9210*, according to the Natura 2000 network of the European Union. Beech woods settle on different soils, such as incoherent sandy volcanic (Etna), calcareous or silico-arenaceous (Madonie) and clayey-schistose soils (Nebrodi and Peloritani). Bryophytes are considered important components of forestry ecosystems. Many of these organisms are specific to particular types of microhabitats and sensitive to changes such that specie…
Ellenberg’s Indicator values for the Flora of Italy – first update: Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae and Monocotyledoneae
2012
Ellenberg’s indicator values are an useful tool to delineate the relationship between plants and environment, recognising to each species a functional role as biological indicator. In the frame of the second edition of the Pignatti’s “Flora d’Italia”, some new informative systems are under preparations, in order to support geobotanical/applied studies, including a complete and updated review of the Ellenberg’s indicator values for the whole bulk of species mentioned in the flora of Italy. This first contribution includes a list of 380 species of Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae and Monocotiledoneae that complete the first assignment of the Ellenberg’s indicator values to the flora of Italy, publi…
Bioindication of volcanic mercury (Hg) deposition around Mt. Etna (Sicily)
2012
Mt. Etna is a major natural source of Hg to the Mediterranean region. Total mercury concentrations, [Hg] tot, in Castanea sativa (sweet chestnut) leaves sampled 7-13km from Etna's vents (during six campaigns in 2005-2011) were determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy. [Hg] tot in C. sativa was greatest on Etna's SE flank reflecting Hg deposition from the typically overhead volcanic plume. [Hg] tot also showed Hg accumulation over the growing season, increasing with leaf age and recent eruptive activity. [Hg] tot in C. sativa was not controlled by [Hg] tot in soils, which instead was greatest on Etna's NW flank, and was correlated with the proportion of organic matter in the soil (% O…
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the polychaete Sabella spallanzanii, as a reliable bioindicator, by GCMS
2012
Every year 230.000 tons of PAHs enter the marine environment, resulting ubiquitously distributed worldwide. These compounds are aromatic molecules of special concern because of their toxic and carcinogenic properties. As a consequence of their hydrophobic nature, in aquatic environments, PAHs rapidly tend to associate with particulate matter and sediments represent the most important reservoir. In the present study the level of PAHs in the sessile filter-feeder polychaete Sabella spallanzanii was assessed. In particular, the concentration of PAHs was determined in polychaetes (body and tube) collected from three Sicilian areas, subject to different anthropic pressure. A transplanting experi…