In the Mediterranean region Cymodocea nodosa is widely distributed throughout shallow sites. Therefore, a correct assessment of the status of its meadows is of great importance for the implementation of the Water Framework Direcitve (WFD), the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), and the Habitat Directive (HD). The previous methodology for the evaluation of the status of C. nodosa meadows was improved and a new index named MediSkew was developed. The index is a combination of two metrics, both based on C. nodosa leaf length. The MediSkew is meant to be a rapid screening method for seagrass meadows in wide Mediterranean coastal areas.
COBISS.SI-ID: 3558991
PERSEUS project aims to identify the most relevant pressures exerted on the ecosystems of the Southern European Seas highlighting knowledge and data gaps that endanger the SES Good Environmental Status as mandated by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. A meta-analysis of existing literature on pressure/impact as related to MSFD descriptors was summarized in a table. A comparative assessment of the Initial Assessment (IA) for five SES countries has been also performed. The comparison between meta-analysis and IA showed similarities for coastal areas only. Major knowledge gaps have been detected for the biodiversity, food web, marine litter and underwater noise descriptors.
COBISS.SI-ID: 3437135
Different phytoplankton analysis methods (pulse-amplitude modulated fluorometry (PAM) and microscopy) were compared in preparation for compliance monitoring and enforcement with ballast water discharge standards. The key objective was to evaluate the performance of different new methods and tools to identify indicatively living phytoplankton cells (10 - 50 μm in minimum dimension) as addressed by the BWM Convention. Four different PAM instruments were selected for the tests; the measurements of these were compared with epifluorescence microscope algae cell counts using FDA viability stain. It was concluded that PAM fluorometry is a suitable method for indicative phytoplankton analysis of ballast water and the most accurate PAM instruments were identified.
COBISS.SI-ID: 3618383
Aurelia aurita s.l. scyphistomae are capable of developing different asexual modes for propagation which depend on a combination of various parameters. We investigated the Aurelia aurita polyp-to-polyp reproduction strategy in relation to polyp density. Our laboratory experiments showed that density-dependent factors control polyp populations in three different ways: decreasing polyp reproduction rate at high densities, triggering the production of motile bud-like particles, inducing detachment of developed scyphistomae. Whereas the decrease in the reproduction rate reduces the number of recruits, the motile buds and the detachment of polyps allow individuals to drift away to new locations.
COBISS.SI-ID: 3537487
The effect of short and long-term induced anoxia on a benthic nematode community and its potential for recovery after reoxygenation were investigated in an in situ experiment on a silty-sand bottom in the Gulf of Trieste, the northern Adriatic Sea. Nematode community characteristics were not affected by short-term (2 days) anoxia. Long-term anoxia (23 and 307 days) decreased nematode density and diversity. Full recovery was observed after 90 days for nematodes exposed to 307 days anoxia.
COBISS.SI-ID: 3560783