Mucilage and the phenomena of algae in the history of the Adriatic: Periodization and the anthropic context (17th–20th centuries)

Molin, Diego; Guidoboni, Emanuela; Lodovisi, A.

doi:10.1016/b978-0-444-89990-3.50047-x

Cited by 18 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Local scale (several tens of meters or kilometers) mass mortality events have been recorded in the Gulf of Trieste since the early 1970s (reported mass mortality events: 1974, 1976, 1980, 1983, Fedra et al 1976, Stefanon and Boldrin 1982, Stachowitsch 1984). These events are related to the periodic occurrence of algal blooms (see below) which has been known for centuries (Molin et al 1992). The regional scale (several hundreds of kilometers) event that affected soft bottom benthic communities in September 1983 coincided with the first report of a local mass mortality event in hard bottom communities in the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean, Harmelin 1984).…”

Section: An Energetic Approach To Understanding Population and Communmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal energetic constraints in Mediterranean benthic suspension feeders: effects at different levels of ecological organization

Coma¹,

Ribes²

2003

Oikos

116

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The aim of this work is to examine the role of food as a constraining factor at different levels of ecological organization in benthic littoral ecosystems. In the search for patterns in ecological systems, it has recently been documented that seasonality in the dynamics of benthic suspension feeders (BSF) in the Mediterranean Sea is characterized by summer dormancy. We review recent studies on seston availability in the water column and feeding and respiration by BSF in the Mediterranean. The objective is to assess whether a pattern across particular studies exists that could provide evidence of food as a constraining factor. A pattern emerges from these organism‐level studies, one which indicates the seasonal occurrence of an energy shortage in the taxa exhibiting summer dormancy. This energy shortage is closely related to low food availability and suggests that an energetic constraint underlie the summer dormancy phenomenon. The seasonal occurrence of summer energy shortage also appears to affect the dynamics of BSF at population and community level. In this sense, in late summer 1999, a mass mortality event of BSF affected several hundreds of kilometers in the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean). The fact that the mass mortality event occurred in late summer and especially affected the taxa that exhibit energy shortage – such as anthozoans and sponges – suggests, that energetic constraints may contribute to the understanding of the mass mortality event. The energy shortage phenomenon may provide a mechanism to understand how the occurrence of anomalous climatic conditions may have induced the mass mortality of some BSF taxa. This review points out the existence of a common energy shortage phenomenon mainly related to low food availability as an important determinant of the dynamics of most BSF taxa at organism level in the Mediterranean. But this determinant also affects the dynamics of BSF at population and community level. Therefore, the extant data point up the crucial role of food as a constraining factor for benthic littoral ecosystems in oligotrophic areas like the Mediterranean, with important seasonal variations in seston abundance and composition.

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Section: An Energetic Approach To Understanding Population and Communmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal energetic constraints in Mediterranean benthic suspension feeders: effects at different levels of ecological organization

Coma¹,

Ribes²

2003

Oikos

116

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“…Ser. 96: 33-42, 1993 , Molin et al 1992) so eutrophication can hardly be considered as a direct cause of the mucus phenomenon. Several authors have tned to explain the phenomenon either by a microbial approach to 'solve the mystery of floating mucilage' (Herndl et al 1992), by analysing the biochemical (Malej & Faganeli 1988, Marchetti et al 1989, Posedel & Faganeli 1991 and the phytoplankton composition (Revelante & Gilrnartin 1991, Cabrini et al 1992) of mucus, or by analysing environmental factors before and during the outbreaks (Fanuko & Turk 1990).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inhibition of copepod grazing by diatom exudates: a factor in the development of mucus aggregates?

Malej¹,

Harris²

1993

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

103

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Dissolved polymers, especially polysaccharides, are thought to play an important role in formation of larger organic aggregates in the sea. Phytoplankton may exude considerable quantities of polymers, although the particular conditions conducive to release of these substances are not known. Such processes are implicated in the formation of large-scale gelatinous mucus aggregations in the Adriatic Sea. We investigated extracellular carbohydrate release in the diatoms Coscinodiscus granii, Stephanopyxis palmenana, Skeletonema costatum, Nitzschia delicatissima, Thalassiosira weissflogii, and 2 species of Chaetoceros, under different culture conditions, and examined whether these exudates interfered with copepod grazing. The copepod species studied are typical of Adriatic coastal enviroments. Our results indicate that during the exponential growth phase the contribution of the high-molecular-weight carbohydrate (HMWCHO) fraction to extracellular release was minor, except in phosphorus Limited medium. A shift towards an increased significance of HMWCHO was observed in the stationary phase for all species tested. Grazing experiments with Temora longicornis and Pseudocalanus elongatus demonstrated that copepod feeding was inhibited by HMWCHO diatom exudate and also stationary phase culture filtrate. Feeding rates were also adversely affected by the presence of pure HMW dextran used as a model substance. Copepod feeding was more strongly inhibited by &atom HMWCHO exudates than an equivalent concentration of pure dextran, suggesting an additional response to the chemical stimuli of algal exudates.

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“…Thirty‐five meroplanktonic and seven holoplanktonic species were first described from this region (Neppi & Stiasny, 1913). Occasional phenomena of ‘mare sporco’ (red tide) were noted even in past centuries (Molin et al, 1992), but during the last 30 years and especially more recently the Northern Adriatic has experienced several ecological crises involving extremely strong ‘mucilagine’ (mucus aggregates) formations (Ott & Herndl, 1995). Changes in plankton communities of the Northern Adriatic have been generally related to increasing pollution (Degobbis et al ., 1995).…”

Section: Problemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does Change in an Adriatic Hydromedusan Fauna Indicate  an Early Phase of  Marine Ecosystem Destruction?

Benović¹,

Lučić²,

Onofri³

2000

Marine Ecology

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Abstract. One of the most critical problems in human efforts to combat consequences of pollution is the proper identification of the initial phases of ecosystem disturbance. Investigation of hydrographic conditions and medusan species composition in the Northern Adriatic region from 1992 to 1997 showed persistence of hypoxic conditions and low numbers of meroplanktonic hydromedusae. The changes observed in the hydromedusan fauna demonstrate one aspect of the long‐term consequences of oxygen deficiencies in marine ecosystems: decreased biodiversity. We suggest that the species composition of meroplanktonic hydromedusae may be a useful indicator of the early phase of such changes.

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Mucilage and the phenomena of algae in the history of the Adriatic: Periodization and the anthropic context (17th–20th centuries)

Cited by 18 publications

References 6 publications

Seasonal energetic constraints in Mediterranean benthic suspension feeders: effects at different levels of ecological organization

Seasonal energetic constraints in Mediterranean benthic suspension feeders: effects at different levels of ecological organization

Inhibition of copepod grazing by diatom exudates: a factor in the development of mucus aggregates?

Does Change in an Adriatic Hydromedusan Fauna Indicate  an Early Phase of  Marine Ecosystem Destruction?

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Mucilage and the phenomena of algae in the history of the Adriatic: Periodization and the anthropic context (17th–20th centuries)

Cited by 18 publications

References 6 publications

Seasonal energetic constraints in Mediterranean benthic suspension feeders: effects at different levels of ecological organization

Seasonal energetic constraints in Mediterranean benthic suspension feeders: effects at different levels of ecological organization

Inhibition of copepod grazing by diatom exudates: a factor in the development of mucus aggregates?

Does Change in an Adriatic ­Hydromedusan Fauna Indicate an Early Phase of Marine Ecosystem Destruction?

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Does Change in an Adriatic Hydromedusan Fauna Indicate  an Early Phase of  Marine Ecosystem Destruction?