scholarly journals From Inshore To Offshore: Microplastic Flows in Three Areas of The MSFD Italian Subregions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice Sbrana ◽  
Tommaso Valente ◽  
Jessica Bianchi ◽  
Simone Franceschini ◽  
Raffaella Piermarini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Water Column ◽  
Water Surface ◽  
Sea Water ◽  
Marine Waters ◽  
The Mediterranean

Abstract An increasing number of ecologists and researchers have addressed microplastics pollution in marine waters to explain the source, the transport, and the fate of these pollutants. Further data on the concentration of microplastics in the water column are crucial for understanding the impacts on ecosystems and to implement monitoring programs.This study provides information on the concentration and composition of sea water surface microplastics in three Italian subregions of the MSFD. We examined the flow of MPs from coastal to offshore areas, comparing their densities. We tested the efficiency of two sampling methodologies to evaluate the abundance and typology of MPs between marine layers. The results of this study confirm the high values of this pollutant in the Mediterranean Sea (0.029 ± 0.033 items · m-2), a MPs gradient from coastal to offshore areas, and a difference between the surface and subsurface marine layers.

scholarly journals Depth-related differences in archaeal populations impact the isoprenoid tetraether lipid composition of the Mediterranean Sea water column

2019 ◽  
Vol 135 ◽  
pp. 16-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc A. Besseling ◽  
Ellen C. Hopmans ◽  
Michel Koenen ◽  
Marcel T.J. van der Meer ◽  
Sanne Vreugdenhil ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Water Column ◽  
Lipid Composition ◽  
Sea Water ◽  
Tetraether Lipid ◽  
The Mediterranean

Stable isotope constraints on the nitrogen cycle of the Mediterranean Sea water column

2002 ◽  
Vol 49 (9) ◽  
pp. 1609-1621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvio Pantoja ◽  
Daniel J Repeta ◽  
Julian P Sachs ◽  
Daniel M Sigman
Keyword(s):  
Stable Isotope ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Water Column ◽  
Nitrogen Cycle ◽  
Sea Water ◽  
The Mediterranean

scholarly journals New insights in the biogeographical distributions of two Spionidae (Annelida) from the NE Atlantic and Mediterranean French coasts

Zoosymposia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 173-184
Author(s):  
JÉRÔME JOURDE ◽  
NICOLAS LAVESQUE ◽  
CÉLINE LABRUNE ◽  
JEAN-MICHEL AMOUROUX ◽  
PAULO BONIFÁCIO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Bay Of Biscay ◽  
Ne Atlantic ◽  
Marine Waters ◽  
Gulf Of Lion ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Brown Pigmentation

We report the first occurrences of Spiophanes afer Meißner, 2005 and Prionospio cristaventralis Delgado-Blas, Díaz-Díaz & Viéitez, 2018 from French marine waters (from the southern part of the Bay of Biscay in NE Atlantic, and the Gulf of Lion in the Mediterranean Sea). Morphological characters of S. afer include the presence of an occipital antenna, dorsal ciliated organs extending to chaetigers 13–15, neuropodial hooks from chaetiger 15, ventrolateral intersegmental pouches from chaetigers 14–15, chaetal spreaders of “2+3 type”, and conspicuous dark brown pigmentation on parapodia of chaetigers 9–13. Prionospio cristaventralis has four pairs of branchiae (1st and 4th pinnate, 2nd and 3rd apinnate), ventral crests from chaetigers 11–12, high dorsal crests on chaetigers 10–11, and very large notopodial prechaetal lamellae on anterior chaetigers. Both records represent northern extensions of their known distributions. However, the presence of S. afer on French coasts may have been overlooked for several decades. The validity of the recently proposed Spiophanes adriaticus is questioned.

scholarly journals Fleshy Red Algae Mats Influence Their Environment in the Mediterranean Sea

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neele Schmidt ◽  
Yusuf C. El-Khaled ◽  
Felix I. Roßbach ◽  
Christian Wild
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Light Intensity ◽  
Water Temperature ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Water Column ◽  
Red Algae ◽  
Water Movement ◽  
Ecosystem Engineer ◽  
Overlying Water ◽  
The Mediterranean

In the Mediterranean Sea, the fleshy red alga Phyllophora crispa forms dense mats of up to 15 cm thickness, mainly located on rocky substrates in water depths below 20 m. Because of the observed density of these mats and some first observations, we hypothesize that P. crispa is a yet undescribed ecosystem engineer that provides a multitude of ecological niches for associated organisms along small-scale environmental gradients. Therefore, we conducted an in-situ pilot study in the Western Mediterranean Sea to assess potential influence of the algae mats on the key environmental factors water movement, temperature and light intensity. We comparatively and simultaneously measured in P. crispa mats, in neighboring Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows, on neighboring bare rocky substrates without algae mats, and in the directly overlying water column. We used several underwater logging sensors and gypsum clod cards. Findings revealed that P. crispa significantly reduced water movement by 41% compared to the overlying water column, whereas water movement was not affected by P. oceanica meadows and bare rocky substrates. Surprisingly, P. crispa increased the water temperature by 0.3°C relative to the water column, while the water temperature in P. oceanica and on bare rocky substrates was reduced by 0.5°C. Light intensity inside the red algae mats was reduced significantly by 69% compared to the water column. This was similar to measured light reduction of 77% by P. oceanica. These findings highlight the strong influence of the dense red algae mats on some key environmental factors. Their influence is obviously similar or even higher than for the well-known seagrass ecosystem engineer. This may be a factor that facilitates associated biodiversity similarly as described for P. oceanica.

scholarly journals First Report on the Occurrence of an Actinosporean Stage (Myxozoa) in Oligochaetes from Spanish Freshwaters

2000 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 433-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cs. Székely ◽  
Ariadna Sitjà-Bobadilla ◽  
Pilar Alvarez-Pellitero
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Marine Waters ◽  
Plate Method ◽  
First Report ◽  
Branchiura Sowerbyi ◽  
The Mediterranean

Oligochaetes living in the Mijares River close to the Sitjar reservoir, and polychaetes from the brackish and marine waters of a channel flowing into the Mediterranean Sea, both in the province of Castellón (Spain), were examined for the presence of actinosporea. An aurantiactinomyxon was isolated from 60 specimens of the oligochaete Branchiura sowerbyi collected from the river, but no actinospores were isolated from 160 polychaetes collected from the sea channel. The aurantiactinospores were detected by the cell-well plate method. The detected species are not identical with any of the aurantiactinomyxon forms hitherto described in the literature. This is the first report on the occurrence of an actinosporea in Spanish waters.

A warmer Mediterranean region at the Miocene to Pliocene transition

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iuliana Vasiliev ◽  
Daniela Boehn ◽  
Darja Volkovskaja ◽  
Clemens Schmitt ◽  
Konstantina Agiadi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Mediterranean Basin ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Sea Water ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Organic Biomarkers ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
D Values

<p>Between 5.97-5.33 Ma several kilometre-thick evaporite units were deposited in the Mediterranean Basin during the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC). The MSC reflects a period featured by a negative hydrological budget, with a net evaporative loss of water exceeding precipitation and riverine runoff. The contemporary changes in continental and marine circum-Mediterranean temperature are, however, poorly constrained. Here we reconstruct continental mean annual temperatures (MAT) using branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT) biomarkers for the time period corresponding to MSC Stage 3 (5.55-5.33 Ma). Additionally, for the same time interval, we estimate sea surface temperatures (SSTs) of the Mediterranean Sea using isoprenoidal GDGTs based TEX<sub>86</sub> proxy. The excellently preserved organic biomarkers were extracted from outcrops and DSDP cores spread over a large part of the onland (Malaga, Sicily, Cyprus) and offshore (holes 124 and 134 from the Balearic abyssal plane and hole 374 from the Ionian Basin) Mediterranean Basin domain. The calculated MATs for the 5.55 to 5.33 Ma interval show values around 16 to 18 ºC for the Malaga, Sicily and Cyprus outcrops. The MAT values calculated for DSDP Leg 13 holes 124, 134 and Leg 42A hole 374 are lower, around 11 to 13 ºC.</p><p>For samples where the branched and isoprenoid tetraether (BIT) index was lower than the 0.4 we could calculate TEX<sub>86</sub> derived SSTs averaging around 27 ºC for all sampled locations. Where available (i.e. Sicily), we compared the TEX<sub>86</sub> derived SSTs with alkenone based, U<sup>k</sup><sub>37</sub> derived SST estimates from the same samples. The TEX<sub>86</sub> derived SST values are slightly higher than the U<sup>k</sup><sub>37</sub> derived SST of 20 to 28 ºC. For the Mediterranean region, values between 19 and 27 ºC of the U<sup>k</sup><sub>37</sub> derived SSTs were calculated for the interval between the 8.0 and 6.4 Ma (Tzanova et al., 2015), close to our calculations for Sicily section (20 to 28 ºC). Independent of common pitfalls that may arise in using molecular biomarkers as temperature proxies, both SST estimates independently hint towards much warmer Mediterranean Sea water during the latest phase (Stage 3) of the MSC. These elevated temperatures coincide with higher δD values measured on alkenones and long chain n-alkanes (both records indicating for more arid and/or warmer conditions than today between 5.55 and 5.33 Ma). We therefore conclude that the climate between 5.55 to 5.33 Ma was warmer than present-day conditions, recorded both in the Mediterranean Sea and the land surrounding it.</p>

scholarly journals First Record of the Lessepsian Migrant Smith's Cardinalfish Jaydia smithi Kotthaus, 1970 (Pisces: Apogonidae) from Syrian Marine Waters

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 45-49
Author(s):  
Firas A. Al-Shawy ◽  
Murhaf M. Lahlah ◽  
Chirine S. Hussein
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Marine Environment ◽  
Ballast Water ◽  
First Record ◽  
Eastern Coast ◽  
Marine Waters ◽  
Environment Changes ◽  
Lessepsian Species ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
First Time

Five individuals of Smith's cardinalfish Jaydia smithi were collected from Ibn-Hani area, Lattakia, Syria on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Their morphometric and meristic characteristics are reported. There are several factors which assisted this specimen to reach this area of the Mediterranean; some of these factors might be the marine environment changes and the ballast water. This study reports that Smith's cardinalfish Jaydia smithi, a member of Lessepsian species was found in Syrian marine waters for the first time.

scholarly journals Sinking microplastics in the water column: simulations in the Mediterranean Sea

Ocean Science ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 431-453
Author(s):  
Rebeca de la Fuente ◽  
Gábor Drótos ◽  
Emilio Hernández-García ◽  
Cristóbal López ◽  
Erik van Sebille
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Distribution ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Water Column ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Scale Turbulence ◽  
Non Gaussian ◽  
The Vertical Distribution

Abstract. We study the vertical dispersion and distribution of negatively buoyant rigid microplastics within a realistic circulation model of the Mediterranean sea. We first propose an equation describing their idealized dynamics. In that framework, we evaluate the importance of some relevant physical effects (inertia, Coriolis force, small-scale turbulence and variable seawater density), and we bound the relative error of simplifying the dynamics to a constant sinking velocity added to a large-scale velocity field. We then calculate the amount and vertical distribution of microplastic particles on the water column of the open ocean if their release from the sea surface is continuous at rates compatible with observations in the Mediterranean. The vertical distribution is found to be almost uniform with depth for the majority of our parameter range. Transient distributions from flash releases reveal a non-Gaussian character of the dispersion and various diffusion laws, both normal and anomalous. The origin of these behaviors is explored in terms of horizontal and vertical flow organization.

scholarly journals Spatiotemporal variability of alkalinity in the Mediterranean Sea

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1647-1658 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Cossarini ◽  
P. Lazzari ◽  
C. Solidoro
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Seasonal Cycle ◽  
Sea Water ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Surface Flux ◽  
Spatiotemporal Variability ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
Biogeochemical Model ◽  
Basin Scale ◽  
The Mediterranean

Abstract. The paper provides a basin-scale assessment of the spatiotemporal distribution of alkalinity in the Mediterranean Sea. The assessment is made by integrating the available observations into a 3-D transport–biogeochemical model. The results indicate the presence of complex spatial patterns: a marked west-to-east surface gradient of alkalinity is coupled to secondary negative gradients: (1) from marginal seas (Adriatic and Aegean Sea) to the eastern Mediterranean Sea and (2) from north to south in the western region. The west–east gradient is related to the mixing of Atlantic water entering from the Strait of Gibraltar with the high-alkaline water of the eastern sub-basins, which is correlated to the positive surface flux of evaporation minus precipitation. The north-to-south gradients are related to the terrestrial input and to the input of the Black Sea water through the Dardanelles. In the surface layers, alkalinity has a relevant seasonal cycle (up to 40 μmol kg−1) that is driven by physical processes (seasonal cycle of evaporation and vertical mixing) and, to a minor extent, by biological processes. A comparison of alkalinity vs. salinity indicates that different regions present different relationships: in regions of freshwater influence, the two quantities are negatively correlated due to riverine alkalinity input, whereas they are positively correlated in open sea areas of the Mediterranean Sea.

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