Research

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13 pages, 2694 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Understanding Cassiopea andromeda (Scyphozoa) Invasiveness in Different Habitats: A Multiple Biomarker Comparison

by Jorge Thé, Marta Mammone, Stefano Piraino, Antonio Pennetta, Giuseppe Egidio De Benedetto, Tatiane Martins Garcia, Marcelo de Oliveira Soares and Sergio Rossi

Water 2023, 15(14), 2599; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15142599 - 17 Jul 2023

Viewed by 1138

Abstract

A dual nutrition mode (i.e., mixotrophy) can be advantageous for alien species in a new environment. In Cearà (Brazil), the symbiotic jellyfish Cassiopea andromeda is rapidly spreading under diverse environmental conditions across natural and human-altered coastal habitats, such as mangroves and shrimp farms. [...] Read more.

A dual nutrition mode (i.e., mixotrophy) can be advantageous for alien species in a new environment. In Cearà (Brazil), the symbiotic jellyfish Cassiopea andromeda is rapidly spreading under diverse environmental conditions across natural and human-altered coastal habitats, such as mangroves and shrimp farms. Here we report on the trophic ecology of the alien upside-down jellyfish sampled in these two contrasting coastal habitats during the dry (July–October) and rainy (January–April) seasons, investigated by means of organic biomarkers (lipids, carbohydrates) and bulk tissue stable isotope (δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C) analyses. Total lipid content of jellyfish gonads was generally higher in shrimp farms, whereas no significant difference in carbohydrate concentration was found in jellyfish tissues from the two different habitats. Similarly, there were no significant differences in the δ¹⁵N values of jellyfish tissues from the two contrasting habitats, whereas the δ¹³C values were higher in jellyfish from shrimp farms. Overall, the higher carbon-enriched value in aquaculture ponds supports the hypothesis of differences of available food sources compared to the natural mangrove habitats, where food availability exhibits a stronger seasonality. In fact, aquaculture ponds are characterized by human-driven regular food supply, leading to more stable trophic conditions and to enhanced growth, lipid production, and gonadal output of C. andromeda jellyfish. This investigation may contribute to predicting how Cassiopea mixotrophy may contribute to explaining its differential success in different habitats. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implementation of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Marine Ecosystem Management, Volume II)

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18 pages, 6387 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Integrative Taxonomy of the Bubble Snails (Cephalaspidea, Heterobranchia) Inhabiting a Promising Study Area: The Coastal Sicilian Faro Lake (Southern Italy)

by Giulia Furfaro, Walter Renda, Gianbattista Nardi and Salvatore Giacobbe

Water 2023, 15(14), 2504; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15142504 - 08 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1054

Abstract

The worldwide diffused bubble snails, Haminoeidae, although characterized by an extreme morphological homogeneity, display the most diverse radiation inside the order Cephalaspidea. This hidden diversity within the family Haminoeidae was recently unraveled by molecular studies, which helped to understand the evolutionary history of [...] Read more.

The worldwide diffused bubble snails, Haminoeidae, although characterized by an extreme morphological homogeneity, display the most diverse radiation inside the order Cephalaspidea. This hidden diversity within the family Haminoeidae was recently unraveled by molecular studies, which helped to understand the evolutionary history of this group by clarifying some aspects of its systematics. In fact, the type genus Haminoea W. Turton and Kingston (1830) was proved to be polyphyletic and, consequently, the genus Haminoea sensu stricto was restricted to the Mediterranean, Atlantic and East Pacific species, with the Mediterranean Haminoea hydatis Linnaeus (1758) as the type taxon. However, at the specie rank, many aspects need to be clarified, especially concerning the Mediterranean fauna. Due to low reliability of macro-morphological characters, the minimal quantity of molecular data currently available on Mediterranean specimen adds to the lack of molecular comparison in most reports. Based on such considerations, Haminoea species from an interesting Mediterranean study area, Faro Lake, a Sicilian coastal lake that is considered a hot spot for both alien and endemic marine Heterobranchia, have been studied using an integrative taxonomic approach. Eleven Mediterranean specimens belonging to four Haminoea bubble snails have been collected, identified and compared with samples from other localities, integrating ecological, morphological, anatomical (reproductive apparatus) and molecular data. Based on molecular investigations carried out on three different molecular markers (H3, 16S and COI), the morphological identifications of the species collected in the Faro Lake have been confirmed, and 37 new sequences are provided for future comparisons. Furthermore, results from this integrative systematic study shed light on the phylogenetic relationships occurring in this group of bubble snails that could be useful in identifying valid diagnostic morphological characters. Haminoea hydatis and H. navicula were confirmed to be close to each other, with H. orteai as sister to them and with H. orbignyana as the basal taxon. Given external morphological features are unreliable with species identification in Haminoea genus open questions on the geographical distribution of the species and on their ranges of intraspecific variability have yet to be addressed and further in-depth studies are needed. Finally, the presence of three sympatric Haminoea species, two of which are considered native or long-time naturalized, along with other occasional congeneric species, and the absence of the introduced invasive Haloa japonica, reflects both the resilience and stochastic space-temporal dynamics of Faro Lake. This confirms it as an inexhaustible source of case-studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implementation of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Marine Ecosystem Management, Volume II)

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12 pages, 923 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Planktonic Copepoda along the Confinement Gradient of the Taranto Sea System (Southern Italy) after Lockdown of Human Activities Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Genuario Belmonte, Giuseppe Denti and Fernando Rubino

Water 2023, 15(13), 2449; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15132449 - 03 Jul 2023

Viewed by 756

Abstract

This study was conducted in the sea system of Taranto (south Italy) to explore the consequences of the COVID-19 lockdown of all human activities on zooplankton abundance and composition. Copepoda were selected as the best indicators and four different dates were taken to [...] Read more.

This study was conducted in the sea system of Taranto (south Italy) to explore the consequences of the COVID-19 lockdown of all human activities on zooplankton abundance and composition. Copepoda were selected as the best indicators and four different dates were taken to represent the annual variability. The availability of samples from past collections (15 and 30 years ago) allowed comparison with previous situations. The Copepoda community in the most confined part of the system (stations MPI and MPII) was dominated by small-sized species and showed new arrivals, including Acartia tonsa, Centropages hamatus, and Pseudodiaptomus sp. The first inlet of Mar Piccolo (MPI) showed an unusually high number of species in the summer of 2020, just at the end of the lockdown period (March–May 2020). The evident growth of species richness at station MPI, and only during the summer of 2020, suggests a role of the lockdown period on the zooplankton composition. The high species richness in the post-lockdown period was probably the result of ceasing the disturbance caused by ship/boat traffic at the MPI site, which is heavily affected by daily human activities at sea. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implementation of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Marine Ecosystem Management, Volume II)

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17 pages, 5062 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Analysis of Microplastics Ingested by the Mediterranean Detritivore Holothuria tubulosa (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) Sheds Light on Patterns of Contaminant Distribution in Different Marine Areas

by Alessandra Martines, Giulia Furfaro, Michele Solca, Maurizio Muzzi, Andrea Di Giulio and Sergio Rossi

Water 2023, 15(8), 1597; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15081597 - 20 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1557

Abstract

Microplastic pollution constitutes a serious environmental problem that requires more effective scientific research to describe its potential impacts on marine fauna. The interaction between microplastics and marine biota can have significant negative effects through the trophic chain, up to human health. To date, [...] Read more.

Microplastic pollution constitutes a serious environmental problem that requires more effective scientific research to describe its potential impacts on marine fauna. The interaction between microplastics and marine biota can have significant negative effects through the trophic chain, up to human health. To date, several steps forward have been made in our understanding of this phenomenon; however, large knowledge gaps still exist for several taxa and areas. In particular, the pattern of spatial and temporal distribution of microplastics in marine sediments and their interaction with benthic detritivore species still needs to be addressed. The Mediterranean Sea is one of the most impacted areas of the world, and its biota is deeply affected by microplastic pollution. To investigate the effects of the presence of microplastics in the sediments in this area, the echinoderm Holothuria tubulosa was chosen as a model species, and specimens were collected along the Salento peninsula in Apulia, Southern Italy. This peculiar geographic area extends between two ecoregions of the Mediterranean Sea, the Northern Ionian and the Southern Adriatic seas, characterized by peculiar and distinct currents and submarine topologies, resulting in a complex and dynamic ecosystem affected by seasonal fluctuations that make the Salento peninsula an interesting natural laboratory for predictions of future dispersion events on a wider scale. Microplastics were analyzed by investigating the gut contents of H. tubulosa individuals, and the SEM/EDX method was used to confirm the plastic material extracted. Results revealed microplastics in all the specimens analyzed and with a homogeneous pattern of distribution in time and some differences in space, suggesting that the presence of this anthropogenic material is constant throughout the year and its quantity is only slightly affected by the level of conservation and management strategies characterizing the sampling sites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implementation of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Marine Ecosystem Management, Volume II)

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17 pages, 7302 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Elemental Fractionation in Sabellariidae (Polychaeta) Biocement and Comparison with Seawater Pattern: A New Environmental Proxy in a High-Biodiversity Ecosystem?

by Claudia Deias, Adriano Guido, Rossana Sanfilippo, Carmine Apollaro, Rocco Dominici, Mara Cipriani, Donatella Barca and Giovanni Vespasiano

Water 2023, 15(8), 1549; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15081549 - 14 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1354

Abstract

The polychaete worm Sabellaria alveolata builds shallow-water aggregates of tubes by agglutinating sands using a secreted glue. Sabellarid bioconstructions represent fragile and dynamic habitats that host numerous associated organisms, playing a key ecological role. A two-year study on bioconstructions from three Sicilian sites [...] Read more.

The polychaete worm Sabellaria alveolata builds shallow-water aggregates of tubes by agglutinating sands using a secreted glue. Sabellarid bioconstructions represent fragile and dynamic habitats that host numerous associated organisms, playing a key ecological role. A two-year study on bioconstructions from three Sicilian sites (Simeto, Portopalo, and Falconara) investigated the balance between reef status and environmental parameters through a geochemical comparison of biocement tube portions and the surrounding waters. Water pollution by heavy metals, which is monitored in marine waters, is a result of river, domestic, and industrial discharges. The major constituents from the biocements of the three sites showed concentrations comparable to those in the seawater, while trace elements (Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, and As) showed concentrations significantly higher than the mean seawater composition. These similar trends confirm a close dependence between the presence of trace elements (metals) in the seawater and the subsequent bioaccumulation in the biocement produced by the worm. The results also showed that Ca and Mg are fractionated by biocement independent of their water concentrations, in contrast to the trace elements. Further studies addressing the biomineralization processes and the relative fractionation of trace elements in Sabellaria biocement will allow it to be validated as a valuable proxy for short- and long-term environmental studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implementation of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Marine Ecosystem Management, Volume II)

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16 pages, 1537 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hard-Bottom Polychaetes Exposed to Multiple Human Pressure along the Mediterranean Coast of Egypt

by Rasha Hamdy, Noha Elebiary, Faiza Abdel Naby, Jacopo Borghese, Mohamed Dorgham, Amira Hamdan and Luigi Musco

Water 2023, 15(5), 997; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15050997 - 06 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1843

Abstract

The complex mixture of anthropogenic pressure determines the impact on the marine biota, hampering the ecosystem’s functioning. The coast of Alexandria, Egypt, experiences multiple human pressure, including sewage discharge, engineering activities (urbanization) for armoring purposes, and beach nourishment. Hard-bottom polychaete assemblages are demonstrated [...] Read more.

The complex mixture of anthropogenic pressure determines the impact on the marine biota, hampering the ecosystem’s functioning. The coast of Alexandria, Egypt, experiences multiple human pressure, including sewage discharge, engineering activities (urbanization) for armoring purposes, and beach nourishment. Hard-bottom polychaete assemblages are demonstrated to reflect coastal areas’ environmental status, though their use in monitoring programs is uncommon. The sensitivity of hard-bottom polychaete assemblages in depicting variations in environmental conditions of two sites exposed to the discharge of polluted water and three sites exposed to urbanization was analyzed. The high spatial and temporal variation in species abundance and diversity probably hid differences among the assemblages exposed to the two forms of pressure while highlighting differences among sites exposed to the same impact form. In addition, changes in the algal substrate probably influenced the observed pattern. Temporal variation of salinity and differences in biological oxygen demand (BOD) and the organic matter appeared to indirectly affect polychaete abundance and diversity by favoring tolerant algal taxa such as Ulva sp. Contrary to what was expected, assemblage variation due to site-specific environmental features accounted for more than the variations due to the two forms of human pressure in shaping differences among polychaete assemblages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implementation of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Marine Ecosystem Management, Volume II)

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17 pages, 3344 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Seascape Ethnomapping on the Inner Continental Shelf of the Brazilian Semiarid Coast

by Lidriana Pinheiro, Antônio Rodrigues Ximenes Neto, Francisco Assis Aquino Bezerra Filho, Cassia Rosane Silveira Pinto, Laldiane de Souza Pinheiro, Paulo Pessoa, Regimário Lima Filho, Regina Balbino da Silva, Jáder Morais, Adryane Gorayeb, Lorenzo Bramanti and Sergio Rossi

Water 2023, 15(4), 798; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15040798 - 17 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2217

Abstract

Seascape mapping is critical to understanding ecosystem services and managing areas with potential for fishing, power generation, mining, and tourism. Despite advances in marine geophysics, the necessary equipment to make underwater cartography can be expensive and requires a certain degree of specialization. In [...] Read more.

Seascape mapping is critical to understanding ecosystem services and managing areas with potential for fishing, power generation, mining, and tourism. Despite advances in marine geophysics, the necessary equipment to make underwater cartography can be expensive and requires a certain degree of specialization. In areas with scarce data, ethnomapping can be used for the elaboration or complementation of marine cartography. In addition, it provides information about the nature, concepts, phenomena, and nomenclatures attributed by the local population. The aim of this study was to integrate the knowledge of artisanal fishermen from NE Brazil into the mapping of seascapes, validating the obtained cartography with scientific sampling. Focus groups were used to promote an open discussion of local users’ knowledge about seascapes and their importance for local fisheries. After analyzing, it was possible to correlate the products of participatory mapping with the scientific data available in the literature, resulting in the seascape ethnomap. Nine seascapes relevant to subsistence fisheries were identified. The mapping of seascapes and fauna captured by indigenous fishermen was similar to that produced from preexisting geology, geomorphology, and fishing data. This validated the methodological protocol and the importance of the participation of local populations in coastal conservation and management activities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implementation of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Marine Ecosystem Management, Volume II)

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21 pages, 1662 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Comparative Approach to Detect Macrobenthic Response to the Conversion of an Inshore Mariculture Plant into an IMTA System in the Mar Grande of Taranto (Mediterranean Sea, Italy)

by Jacopo Borghese, Luigi Musco, Daniele Arduini, Laura Tamburello, Michela Del Pasqua and Adriana Giangrande

Water 2023, 15(1), 68; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15010068 - 25 Dec 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1615

Abstract

The expected bioremediation effect, driven by the conversion of an inshore mariculture plant into an Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) system, which could mitigate the fish farm impact, related to the accumulation of organic matter on the seabed, has been studied. The ecological quality [...] Read more.

The expected bioremediation effect, driven by the conversion of an inshore mariculture plant into an Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) system, which could mitigate the fish farm impact, related to the accumulation of organic matter on the seabed, has been studied. The ecological quality status was studied following a Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) design and variation measured through M-AMBI and compared with the results of univariate and multivariate analyses of variance, to evaluate the sensitivity of the two methodologies. Results from M-AMBI indicated a sharp change in the ecological quality status, just after one year of the conversion of the plant. By contrast, although changes were detected also utilizing univariate and multivariate statistical analysis, the natural temporal variability characterizing the area partially masked evidence of environmental amelioration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implementation of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Marine Ecosystem Management, Volume II)

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17 pages, 4470 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Copepod Assemblages at the Base of Mangrove Food Webs during a Severe Drought

by Carolina Coelho Campos, Hortência de Sousa Barroso, Genuario Belmonte, Sergio Rossi, Marcelo Oliveira Soares and Tatiane Martins Garcia

Water 2022, 14(22), 3648; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223648 - 12 Nov 2022

Viewed by 1651

Abstract

The effect of severe drought on the functional groups that sustain the base of the mangrove food webs in semi-arid areas is largely unknown. We therefore analyzed the intra-annual variation in the assemblages and functional groups of copepods in a shallow, low-inflow estuary [...] Read more.

The effect of severe drought on the functional groups that sustain the base of the mangrove food webs in semi-arid areas is largely unknown. We therefore analyzed the intra-annual variation in the assemblages and functional groups of copepods in a shallow, low-inflow estuary of the Brazilian semi-arid coast when the most severe drought ever occurred. The lowest density was found in April (upstream region) and the highest in August (downstream region). Three main functional groups were identified, sorted by spawning strategy, and further subdivided according to feeding strategy, trophic regime, and diel vertical migration behavior. The community was significantly influenced by the extreme drought period, presenting a temporal homogenization in terms of composition, and an expressive and unexpected increase in density in the dry period, possibly due to phytoplankton blooms resistant to hypersalinity and the occurrence of copepod species adapted to stressful conditions. The few stress-tolerant species sustaining the food webs with seasonal variations were observed simplifying the trophic variability. The results indicate that hypersalinity can induce changes in the zooplankton community, increasing copepod mortality risk and, so, promoting alteration in the trophic estuarine dynamic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implementation of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Marine Ecosystem Management, Volume II)

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Review

Jump to: Research

15 pages, 2064 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Mediterranean Killifish Aphanius fasciatus (Valenciennes, 1821) (Teleostei: Cyprinodontidae) as a Sentinel Species for Protection of the Quality of Transitional Water Environments: Literature, Insights, and Perspectives

by Maria Giulia Lionetto, Vincenzo Zonno, Roberta Schiavone, Maria Elena Giordano, Amilcare Barca, Genuario Belmonte and Tiziano Verri

Water 2023, 15(15), 2721; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15152721 - 27 Jul 2023

Viewed by 1084

Abstract

Transitional waters are fragile ecosystems with high ecological values, representing the breeding and resting sites for rare and threatened species. They warrant particular attention in regards to protection, as they experience numerous anthropogenic threats. The present review aims to analyze the recent literature [...] Read more.

Transitional waters are fragile ecosystems with high ecological values, representing the breeding and resting sites for rare and threatened species. They warrant particular attention in regards to protection, as they experience numerous anthropogenic threats. The present review aims to analyze the recent literature on Aphanius fasciatus, currently considered one of the most strictly estuarine-dependent fish species, thus affected by the degradation of lagoon habitats, and to discuss its suitability as a sentinel species for protection of the quality of transitional water environments. The analysis and discussion highlight the potential applicability of the molecular, cellular, and physiological responses of this species as diagnostic tools for detecting the subtle effects induced by environmental pollution on the biota in transitional water environments. Moreover, the suitability of the responses of this species is suggested in the wider framework of the One Health perspective, which considers human and animal health and the environmental state to be highly interconnected, sharing common aspects. To date, omics technologies show great potential in reacquiring novel knowledge on the responses of the organisms to environmental changes and to the alterations of the environmental health status. Therefore, considering the relevant potential of this organism as a sentinel species, many efforts are required in the near future to improve the quantity and quality of the omics tools that refer to A. fasciatus. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implementation of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Marine Ecosystem Management, Volume II)

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