Microphytoplankton and ciliate communities’ structure and distribution in a stressed area of the south coast of Sfax, Tunisia (eastern Mediterranean Sea)

The environmental parameters, microphytoplankton and ciliate communities in the area were studied in spring and autumn at 20 stations along the coast south of Sfax over two seasons during 2011. The results showed that the environmental parameters indicated high nutrient levels and their concentrations ranges reported as criteria of eutrophication in coastal waters. A total of 78 microphytoplankton species were identified, belonging to Diatoms, Dinoflagellates, Cyanobacteriae, Euglenophyceae, Dictyochophyceae and Chlorophyceae. The numerical density of phytoplankton was high over the whole area, with season averages between 44.10×102 ±41.93×102 and 103.55×102 ± 107.33×102 cells L–1. A total of 58 ciliate species were identified at all of the stations. Tintinnids abundance was generally higher than naked ciliate abundance reported for autumn and spring seasons, both at the surface layer and water–sediment interface. One striking point was that ciliate abundance was unchanged in autumn (4×102 cells L–1) but was still higher in spring (6×102 cells L–1). Some species reported in this study are commonly found in the stressed coastal waters.

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First occurrence of Scarus ghobban (Actinopterygii: Scaridae) in the coastal waters of Cyprus (Eastern Mediterranean Sea)

Mediterranean Marine Science ◽

10.12681/mms.82 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 353 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

G. IOANNOU ◽

N. MICHAILIDIS ◽

A. LOUCAIDES ◽

I. MANITARAS

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Coastal Waters ◽

Eastern Mediterranean ◽

Eastern Mediterranean Sea ◽

First Occurrence ◽

Scarus Ghobban

The first occurrence of the Indo-Pacific blue-barred parrotfish (Scarus ghobban) in the coastal waters of Cyprus is reported. The finding corroborates the establishment of this Lessepsian immigrant along the Levantine coasts.

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Spring phytoplankton variability along a south coast of Sfax at the water-sediment interface (Tunisia, Eastern Mediterranean Sea)

Journal of Coastal Life Medicine ◽

10.12980/jclm.4.2016j5-220 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 121-127 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Amira Rekik ◽

◽

Zohra Ben Salem ◽

Habib Ayadi ◽

Jannet Elloumi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Eastern Mediterranean ◽

South Coast ◽

Eastern Mediterranean Sea ◽

Phytoplankton Variability ◽

Sediment Interface

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Spring distribution of shelled pteropods across the Mediterranean Sea

10.5194/bg-2020-53 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Roberta Johnson ◽

Clara Manno ◽

Patrizia Ziveri

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Eastern Mediterranean ◽

Hot Spot ◽

Environmental Parameters ◽

Saturation State ◽

Eastern Mediterranean Sea ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

First Time ◽

Natural Laboratory

Abstract. Shelled pteropods represent an excellent sentinel for indicating exposure to ocean acidification (OA). Here, for the first time, we characterise spring pteropod distribution throughout the Mediterranean Sea, a region that has been identified as a climate change hot-spot. The presence of a west–east natural biogeochemical gradient makes this region a natural laboratory to investigate how the variability in environmental parameters may affect pteropod distribution. Results show that pteropod abundance is significantly higher in the eastern Mediterranean Sea where there is a higher aragonite saturation state (Ωar), showing that distribution is positively correlated with Ωar. We also observed a resilience of pteropods to higher temperatures and low nutrient conditions, including phosphorous limitation. The higher abundance of pteropods in ultra-oligotrophic conditions (eastern Mediterranean Sea) suggests that this organism can play an important role as the prime calcifying zooplankton within specific oligotrophic regions.

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Two-way bioinvasion: tracking the neritic non-native cyclopoid copepods Dioithona oculata and Oithona davisae (Oithonidae) in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

Mediterranean Marine Science ◽

10.12681/mms.26036 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (3) ◽

pp. 586

Author(s):

XIMENA VELASQUEZ ◽

ARSENIY R. MOROV ◽

TUBA TERBIYIK KURT ◽

DALIT MERON ◽

TAMAR GUY-HAIM

Keyword(s):

Water Temperature ◽

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Coastal Waters ◽

Eastern Mediterranean ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Eastern Mediterranean Sea ◽

Levantine Sea ◽

Oithona Davisae ◽

Introduced Range ◽

Almost All

Accelerated anthropogenic changes in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (EMS) have facilitated the introduction, spread and establishment of invasive copepod species in this region. Here, we report the introduction of two non-native cyclopoid copepods Dioithona oculata and Oithona davisae for the first time in the Israeli coastal waters and describe their temporal variability. The species were identified by morphological characteristics, DNA barcoding and phylogenetic inference. Molecular identification and phylogenetic analysis supported the taxonomical identification, nevertheless, showed cryptic speciation within D. oculata, separating the Western Pacific and EMS clades. In the Israeli coastal waters, D. oculata presented a temporally restricted occurrence, appearing from September 2019 to December 2019 (30.0±0.7 – 21.0±1.1 °C) and October 2020 (28.0±0.7 °C). The highest abundances of D. oculata occurred in the autumn (October 2019 and 2020), when the water temperature reached 28.0 °C (7 and 10 ind. m-3, respectively). The lowest abundance occurred in December 2019 (0.35 ind. m-3), when the water temperature decreased to 21.0 °C, indicating that the thermal affinity of D. oculata for warm-temperate conditions, for reproduction and the maintenance of viable populations, has persisted in the introduced range. In contrast, O. davisae appeared almost all year around (17.0±0.5 – 28.0±0.7 °C). This species demonstrated peaks in abundance both in October 2019 and October 2020, when the water temperature reached 28.0 °C (406 and 92 ind. m-3), as well as when the temperature decreased to 17.0 °C (31 ind. m-3, February 2020), confirming its wide eurythermal tolerance. Based on our findings and previous observations, we suggest that D. oculata may have invaded the EMS through the Suez Canal and is now at the onset of its spread in the Mediterranean Sea, whereas O. davisae has been introduced via shipping, likely from the Northeast Atlantic, widely spreading and successfully establishing viable populations across the entire Mediterranean Sea, until the coastal Levantine Sea.

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Distribution Patterns of Floating Microplastics in Open and Coastal Waters of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (Ionian, Aegean, and Levantine Seas)

Frontiers in Marine Science ◽

10.3389/fmars.2021.699000 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Argyro Adamopoulou ◽

Christina Zeri ◽

Francesca Garaventa ◽

Chiara Gambardella ◽

Christos Ioakeimidis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Coastal Waters ◽

Spectroscopic Analysis ◽

Eastern Mediterranean ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Sea Surface ◽

Morphological Properties ◽

Eastern Mediterranean Sea ◽

Surface Circulation ◽

Open Sea

Microplastic pollution is a pervasive anthropogenic phenomenon at the ocean surface. Numerous studies have been performed worldwide; nevertheless, the distribution patterns, morphological properties, and sources of origin in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea are still poorly explored. The purpose of this study is to investigate the distribution patterns of surface floating microplastics (MPs) in the Ionian, Aegean, and Levantine Seas in relation to their sources and sea surface circulation. In total, eighty-four samples were collected using manta nets from 2014 to 2020, covering open waters, coastal waters, and enclosed gulfs (Corfu and Saronikos). MPs concentration measurements revealed high variability ranging from 0.012 to 1.62 items m–2 and did not present maximum concentrations close to MPs hotspot areas. The presence of sea surface slicks, as recorded visually during our samplings, seems to play a key role on the distribution pattern of MPs, and highest concentrations were recorded in samples affected by these formations. The dominant MPs shape type identified were fragments (50–60%), whilst filaments (1–23%), films (3–26%), and foams (0–34%) varied among the studied areas. The majority of MPs in open waters had sizes ≤2 mm peaking between 0.6 and 1.4 mm. Spectroscopic analysis of MPs revealed the presence of 11 polymer types in both open sea and gulfs; the most abundant type was polyethylene (PE), followed by polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS). The relative abundance of polymer types was more diverse in Saronikos Gulf, compared to the open sea due to the proximity to major urban and industrial sources. Our findings suggest that the vicinity to coastal population centers determined the properties, size and polymer types of MPs and highlight that MPs concentrations are affected significantly by local oceanographic conditions, such as surface slicks.

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210Po and 210Pb concentration in zooplankton of the Syrian coastal waters (eastern Mediterranean Sea)

Mediterranean Marine Science ◽

10.12681/mms.19072 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 320 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

MOHAMMAD SAID AL-MASRI ◽

SAMER MAMISH ◽

MOHAMMAD ABDEL-HALEEM ◽

HANI HANI DURGHAM

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Coastal Waters ◽

Concentration Ratio ◽

Eastern Mediterranean ◽

Reference Database ◽

Eastern Mediterranean Sea ◽

Marine Zooplankton ◽

Activity Concentrations ◽

210Pb Activity ◽

Average Activity

210Po and 210Pb activity concentrations and their concentration ratio (CR) in marine zooplankton collected for the first time from the Syrian coastal waters (the eastern Mediterranean Sea) have been determined. The average activity concentrations of 210Po and 210Pb were 243±36 and 26.4±4.3 Bqkg-1 dw. The 210Po/210Pb activity ratio was found to be more than one in all zooplankton samples with an average of 9.2 (8.4 to 10), which indicates that the accumulation of 210Po in zooplankton does not come from the decay of the 210Pb only, and reflects a preferential bioaccumulation of 210Po over 210Pb. In addition, the Concentration Ratio (CR) for 210Po and 210Pb reached 104 and 103, respectively. This study will contribute to the radioecological reference database for zooplankton in the Mediterranean Sea.

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