Search results for "mediterranean sea."
showing 10 items of 830 documents
Effects of recreational scuba diving on Mediterranean fishes: evidence of involuntary feeding?
2013
Despite a large body of literature assessing the impacts of recreational scuba diving on marine habitats, little attention has been paid to the potentially harmful effects this has on fishes. The aim of this study was the assessment of the immediate response of different fish species to divers’ activities. A decrease of fishes’ natural diffidence towards divers is shown, probably due to an enhanced availability of their prey as a result of divers’ contacts with the substrate.
Chromosome analysis of Bothus podas (Pisces, Pleuronectiformes) from the Mediterranean Sea
1993
A modal diploid number 2n=38 has been determined in both sexes of the pleuronectiform Bothus podas from the Gulf of Palermo (Mediterranean). An XX-XY sex-determining mechanism presumably occurs in this species. Application of silver staining (NORs) along with G- and C-banding techniques showed that secondary constrictions occurring in a large metacentric pair were variable in length in different fish. Polymorphisms of these areas seem to have a genetic, rather than transcriptional, basis.
Mediterranean diet and cancer: epidemiological evidence and mechanism of selected aspects
2013
Background: Populations living in the area of the Mediterranean Sea suffered by decreased incidence of cancer compared with those living in the regions of northern Europe and US countries, attributed to healthier dietary habits. Nowadays, we are assisting to a moving away from the traditional Mediterranean dietary pattern, but whether this changing is influencing risk of cancers is still unclear. The aim of the study was to review recent evidence on potential relationship between the adherence to the Mediterranean diet and cancer. Discussion: The most recent pooled analyses of epidemiological studies supported strongly the hypothesis that the Mediterranean diet may play a role in preventing…
Antibacterial activity and HPLC analysis of extracts from Mediterranean brown algae
2020
The antibacterial activity of methanolic extracts of eight Mediterranean brown algae belonging to the genera Cystoseira sensu lato, Dictyopteris and Padina was investigated. Extracts from Sargassaceae showed antibacterial activity. Specifically, Carpodesmia crinita and Carpodesmia brachycarpa extracts inhibited the growth of the Gram-positive strain Kocuria rhizophila whereas Cystoseira compressa and Carpodesmia amentacea extracts showed antibacterial activity against the Gram-positive strains, Kocuria rhizophila and Staphylococcus aureus. None of them inhibited the growth of the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli. The extracts of Cystoseira sp. pl. and Treptacantha ballesterosii did …
Assessing surface sediment dynamics along the north-west coast of Marsa Dhouiba (Tunisia, southern Mediterranean)
2016
International audience; An investigation was conducted from summer 2012 to winter 2013 at 25 stations along the Tunisian coast near Kef Abbed at Marsa Dhouiba (north-east Mediterranean Sea) to analyse grain size, sediment mineralogy and currents. Particle-size analysis shows that sand deposits at shallow depths are characterised by S-shaped curves, indicating a degree of agitation and possible transport by rip currents near the bottom. At greater depths (between 10 and 30 m), the bottom is covered by coarse sand and gravel. A current was observed transporting sediment eastward along the coast; another seaward current was also noted. Generated by wind, swell and especially waves from west to…
A map of autumn precipitation for the third millennium BP in the Eastern Iberian Peninsula from charcoal carbon isotopes
2009
Abstract Carbon isotope composition (δ13C) in tree-rings has become routinely used in palaeoclimatic research for the assessment of changes in plant water availability in seasonally dry climates. However, the distribution of long tree-ring records around the world is very limited. Alternatively, the original climate signal of wood δ13C is well preserved in fossil charcoal and, accordingly, charcoal δ13C can be used to quantify past changes in water availability (e.g. precipitation). We report a case study on spatial palaeoclimate reconstruction which aims to characterize the transition between Bronze and Iron Ages, the so-called Iron Age Cold Epoch (ca. 900–300 BCE), using charcoals of Quer…
Impact on the water column biogeochemistry of a Mediterranean mussel and fish farm
2002
We investigated and compared the impact of organic loads due to the biodeposition of mussel and fish farms on the water column of a coastal area of the Tyrrhenian Sea (Western Mediterranean). Physico-chemical data (including oxygen, nutrients, DOC and particulate organic matter), microbial variables (picoplankton and picophytoplankton density and biomass) and phytoplankton biomass (as chlorophyll-a) were determined on a monthly basis from March 1997 to February 1998. The results of this study indicate that both fish farm and mussel culture did not alter significantly dissolved inorganic phosphorus and chlorophyll-a values, while inorganic nitrogen concentrations were higher in mussel farm a…
Combining heat-transfer and energy budget models to predict thermal stress in Mediterranean intertidal mussels
2011
Recent studies have emphasised that organisms can experience physiological stress well within their geographic range limits. Developing methods for mechanistically predicting the presence, absence and physiological performance of organisms is therefore important because of the ongoing effects of climate change. In this study, we merged a biophysical–ecological (BE) model that estimates the aquatic (high tide) and aerial (low tide) body temperatures of Mytilus galloprovincialis with a Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) model to predict growth, reproduction and mortality of this Mediterranean mussel in both intertidal and subtidal environments. Using weather and chlorophyll-a data from three Mediter…
The Mediterranean Sea in the Martime Policy of the Byzantine Emperors in the VI Century
2013
The turn of the V and VI century AD was an important period in the history of the Roman Empire fleet. The Mediterranean Sea once again became, a body of water full of competitive fleets, threatening the remnants of the Western Roman Empire and the provinces of Byzantium. On the emperors of the East, in Constantinople, fell to conserve the heritage of Rome, and the conduct of maritime policy in the Mediterranean. They had to contend with the fleets of Vandals, Goths, who quickly discovered the benefits of having their own naval forces, which helped them to master most of the islands in the western Mediterranean. Only Justinian I broke the losing streak of the Roman fleet, going on the offens…
Hadwenius tursionis (Marchi, 1873) n. comb. (Digenea, Campulidae) from the bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus (Montagu, 1821) in the western Medit…
1994
The taxonomic position of Synthesium tursionis (Marchi, 1873) (Digenea, Campulidae) is revised, based on material from 147 worms from four bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus stranded off the Comunidad Valenciana (Spanish western Mediterranean). The species is transferred to Hadwenius, as H. tursionis n. comb., and characterised by a high length/width ratio of the body, spinose cirrus and unarmed metraterm. Synthesium, a monotypic genus, becomes a synonym of Hadwenius. The intraspecific variation of some morphological traits is briefly discussed.