Spatiotemporal patterns of phenology of the alien Phaeophyceae Sargassum muticum on the Atlantic coast of Morocco

The present study focused on the dynamics of the phenology and life cycle of the Phaeophyceae invader Sargassum muticum at three sites on the Atlantic coast of Morocco over a period of two years (2013 and 2014). The results showed that S. muticum has two distinct growth phases; one with slower growth in winter followed by one with faster growth in spring-early summer, when the species exhibited high elongation and branching activities with thalli length ranging from 1 to more than 5 m depending on the study site. The site S1, with a rocky substratum covered by submerged sands, promotes thalli elongation, with maximum lengths of 643.33 11.10 cm recorded in July. At the rocky sites (S2 and S3), the maximum length of the seaweed depends on the pools’ depth. Although the elongation of thalli is enhanced by the water body depth, the settlements’ density (5-48 ind. m–2) seems to be mainly related to the nature of the substrate. The maturity index progressively increases from spring to early summer, when it reaches the highest values. S. muticum seems to be more abundant and more easily acclimated in shallow rockpools (sufficiently lighted and semi-exposed to wave action at the mid and lower tidal levels) than in protected sandy bottom sites with low hydrodynamic forces.

Cemented on the Rock. A Pleistocene Outer Shelf Lithobiont Community from Sicily, Italy

The lithobiont community encrusting an early Pleistocene palaeocliff cropping out north of Augusta (SE Sicily, Italy) was investigated based on field observations and laboratory inspection of two rocky samples. Bryozoans, serpulids, brachiopods and bivalves encrusted part of the exposed surfaces that were bored mostly by clionaid sponges. Bryozoans, with at least 25 species detected on the rocky samples, are the most diversified skeletonized lithobionts also accounting for the highest number of colonies/specimens and highest coverage. Brachiopods, with the only species Novocrania anomala and a few but large cemented valves, cover wide surfaces. Serpulids, with two species identified on the sampled rocks and further two on the outcrop, were intermediate. A multiphase colonization is present, including a final epilithobiont community locally formed on eroded surfaces exposing a network of pervasive borings. The co-occurrence of very sciaphilic species having circalittoral to bathyal distributions suggests that the studied community thrived on a rocky substratum located near or at the shelf break, probably belonging to the shelf break (or RL) biocoenosis, also in agreement with observations on the fossil content of neighboring marly sediments. The observed relationships among colonizers largely represent mere superimpositions, and real interactions are not enough to state species competitiveness.

The interactive effect of herbivory, nutrient enrichment and mucilage on shallow rocky macroalgal communities

In this paper the results of a manipulative experiment aimed to evaluate the interactive short- and long-term effect of three different stressors, herbivory, nutrient and mucilage, on a macroalgal assemblage are presented. The experiment was conducted in Tavolara Punta Coda Cavallo Marine Protected Area during a bloom of the benthic mucilage-producing microalga Chrysophaeum taylorii Lewis and Bryan (Pelagophyceae), recently spreading in the Mediterranean Sea. On a rocky substratum, 18 plots 20x20 cm in size were prepared and, according to different treatments, nutrients were added in some of them to simulate eutrophication, macroalgae were removed to simulate clearings produced by grazers and mucilage was manually removed to simulate mucilage-free conditions. Differences in the composition of macroalgal assemblages were found when considering the short term effect of the considered stressors, and also the response of the most abundant taxa (DFA, ECA, Dictyotales, Laurencia spp. and Padina pavonica) varied among treatments, proving that a combined effect of such stressors on the recovery of macroalgae was present. On the contrary, the effect of treatments was neither highlighted on the most abundant algae nor on the whole structure of the macroalgal assemblage.

The interactive effect of herbivory, nutrient enrichment and mucilage on shallow rocky macroalgal communities

In this paper the results of a manipulative experiment aimed to evaluate the interactive short- and long-term effect of three different stressors, herbivory, nutrient and mucilage, on a macroalgal assemblage are presented. The experiment was conducted in Tavolara Punta Coda Cavallo Marine Protected Area during a bloom of the benthic mucilage-producing microalga Chrysophaeum taylorii Lewis and Bryan (Pelagophyceae), recently spreading in the Mediterranean Sea. On a rocky substratum, 18 plots 20x20 cm in size were prepared and, according to different treatments, nutrients were added in some of them to simulate eutrophication, macroalgae were removed to simulate clearings produced by grazers and mucilage was manually removed to simulate mucilage-free conditions. Differences in the composition of macroalgal assemblages were found when considering the short term effect of the considered stressors, and also the response of the most abundant taxa (DFA, ECA, Dictyotales, Laurencia spp. and Padina pavonica) varied among treatments, proving that a combined effect of such stressors on the recovery of macroalgae was present. On the contrary, the effect of treatments was neither highlighted on the most abundant algae nor on the whole structure of the macroalgal assemblage.

Habitat Preference and Population Ecology of Limpets Cellana karachiensis (Winckworth) and Siphonaria siphonaria (Sowerby) at Veraval Coast of Kathiawar Peninsula, India

Present study reports the habitat preference and spatiotemporal variations in the population abundance of limpets Cellana karachiensis and Siphonaria siphonaria inhabiting rocky intertidal zones of Veraval coast, Kathiawar Peninsula, India. The entire intertidal zone of the Veraval coast was divided into five microsampling sites based on their substratum type and assemblage structure. Extensive field surveys were conducted every month in these microsampling sites and the population abundance of two limpet species was analyzed using belt transect method. The results revealed that C. karachiensis was the dominating species at microsampling Site-1 (having rocky substratum) possibly due to its ability to tolerate high desiccation, salinity, and temperature fluctuations, while the S. siphonaria was found to be the most dominating species at microsampling Site-2 (having rocky substratum with abundant algal population) possibly due to their preference for the perpetual wet areas. The study also indicated that S. siphonaria preferred upper littoral zone where the green algae were abundant while C. karachiensis preferred the spray zone, where it faces almost no competition for space and food with other molluscs. The condition of the spray zone is very harsh for other species to survive.

Ecological distribution of stream macroalgal communities from a drainage basin in the Serra da Canastra National Park, Minas Gerais, Southeastern Brazil

Twelve stream segments were sampled four times in 1998-1999 (one sampling per season) in the drainage basin of the upper São Francisco River (19º45'-21º25'S, 49º05'-51º30'W), situated in Serra da Canastra National Park, at altitudes ranging from 1,175 to 1,400 m. The macroalgae survey resulted in 30 species, with a predominance of Cyanophyta (12 species = 40%) and Chlorophyta (11 species = 36.5%) and a lower proportion of Rhodophyta (seven species = 23.5%). Two species, Klebsormidium rivulare (Chlorophyta) and Kyliniella latvica (Rhodophyta), were new records for Brazil. Capsosira sp. and Stigonema sp. (Cyanophyta) and the "Chantransia" stage of Batrachospermum (Rhodophyta) were the most widespread macroalgae, occurring in six sampling sites, whereas 11 species were found at only one site. The proportion of macroalgal morphological types were as follows: mats (33%), free filaments (27%), gelatinous filaments (27%), crusts (7%), tufts (3%), and gelatinous colonies (3%). The flora revealed few species in common (4%-8%) with stream macroalgae from other Brazilian regions. The macroalgal communities proved to have species richness values close to the highest values reported in previous studies. The patterns typical for stream macroalgal communities (patchy distribution and dominance of few species) were also found in this basin. However, the stream variables most influential in macroalgal distribution in this study (rocky substratum, low pH, high COD, water color, and current velocity) were essentially the same that best describe the limnological characteristics of this lotic ecosystem. In addition, this combination of variables differed sharply from results of previous studies in other Brazilian stream ecosystems.

Predation on hatchery-reared lobsters released in the wild

Predation on hatchery-reared lobsters (Homarus gammarus) in the wild was studied in order to identify predators in southwestern Norway on rocky and sandy substrates in winter and summer. Lobsters of 12-15 mm carapace length were tagged with magnetic microtags. About 51 000 juvenile lobsters were released on 10 occasions at three locations. Predator samplings were by trammel nets, eel traps, and videorecordings during the 24 h immediately following the releases. In summer, loss to predators occurred on both rocky and sandy substrates. The loss was lower in winter when lobsters were found as prey in predators caught on sand. The risk of fish predation was highest in the first hours after release, when the lobsters were out of shelter. The wrasses Labrus bergylta and Labrus mixtus were the major predators of lobsters, while Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), shorthorn sculpin (Myoxocephalus scorpius), and crab (Cancer pagurus) were mainly winter predators. Winter predators were never as abundant as summer predators. To minimise predatory loss of reared and costly lobsters, they should be released onto rocky substratum in winter. Due to the damage to the predated lobsters, it was not possible to correlate survival against lobster size.

Reproductive cycles and fecundities of two species of Siphonaria (Mollusca : Pulmonata) in south-eastern Australia

The reproductive cycles of Siphonaria denticulata and S. virgulata were determined by measuring the length or weight of the spawn of each species. S. denticulara lays a typical. coiled, gelatinous egg ribbon, cemented to the rocky substratum. S. virgulata lays a globular egg mass which is released directly into the water. This latter form of spawning is apparently unique amongst pulmonate molluscs. S. denticulata has a long breeding season, extending from November-December to the following April-May. Spawning usually occurs every 2 weeks for large adults, but smaller (i.e. younger) limpets spawn less frequently. Periods of spawning correspond to periods of full or new moons. The exact length of the breeding season of S. virgulata is unknown. Estimates of fecundity were obtained from counts of eggs within egg masses. There were differences in the fecundity of S. denticulata between localities, but S. denticulata and S. virgulata from the same locality had similar fecundities for similar-sized animals. Egg ribbons of S. denticulata experimentally placed high on the shore were found to suffer higher mortality from desiccation than those lower on the shore. This may explain why S. virgulata, which generally lives higher on the shore than its congener, has pelagic egg masses.