The effect of hydrodynamics on shell orientation and population density of Pinna nobilis in the Gulf of Oristano (Sardinia,Italy) |
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| Institution: | 1. CNR — Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, IAMC — Istituto per l''Ambiente Marino Costiero, Località Sa Mardini, Torregrande, 09170 Oristano, Italy;2. CNR — Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, ISMAR — Istituto di Scienze Marine, Arsenale — Tesa 104, Castello 2737/F, 30122 Venezia, Italy;1. Dep. of Biology Demography and Conservation of Long Lived Species Lab. CISSC University of Pisa, Via Volta 4, 56126, Pisa, Italy;2. Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e Geofisica Sperimentale, Via Grotta Gigante, 42c, Sgonico, 34010, Trieste, Italy;1. Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Heraklion, Crete, Greece;2. Environmental Policy Group, Wageningen University, Netherlands;3. Centre for Blue Governance, Department of Planning, Aalborg University, Denmark;1. Laboratori d’Investigacions Marines i Aqüicultura (LIMIA), Govern de les Illes Balears, Av. Gabriel Roca 69, 07158 Port d’Andratx, Mallorca, Spain;2. Instituto de Investigaciones Agroambientales y de Economía del Agua (INAGEA) (INIA-CAIB-UIB), Ctra. Valldemossa, km. 7,5 Ed. Edifici Guillem Colom Casasnoves, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain;3. Instituto de Investigación en Medio Ambiente y Ciencia Marina (IMEDMAR), Universidad Católica de Valencia, Avenida Puerto Pesquero s/n, 03710 Calpe, Spain;4. Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares, Muelle de Poniente s/n, 07015 Palma de Mallorca, Spain;5. Instituto Tecnóloxico para o Control do Medio Mariño de Galicia (INTECMAR), Consellería do Mar, Xunta de Galicia, Peirao de Vilaxoán s/n, 36611 Vilagarcía de Arousa, Spain;6. Centro de Investigacións Mariñas (CIMA), Consellería do Mar, Xunta de Galicia, Pedras de Corón s/n, 36620 Vilanova de Arousa, Spain;7. Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad de Alcalá, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Spain |
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| Abstract: | Pinna nobilis is the largest endemic bivalve of the Mediterranean Sea, declared protected since 1992. Although hydrodynamic stress induced by waves is known to influence density, size and orientation of P. nobilis, the effect of other hydrological features is unknown. This paper considers a P. nobilis population living within a Posidonia oceanica meadow in the Gulf of Oristano (Sardinia, Italy). We hypothesize that spatial differences in density and orientation of P. nobilis may be related to significant wave height (HS), wave direction (DW), bottom current direction (DBC) and bottom current speed (SBC). A population of P. nobilis was investigated at different sites and its distribution was correlated to hydrodynamics by means of a numerical modeling approach. The spatial distribution was patchy, with a density of 0.06–6.7 ind. 100 m? 2. A non-uniform distribution of shell orientations (OS) was demonstrated in 4 sites out of 6. DBC and SBC were the main factors affecting OS, while waves had little influence. A SBC of 0.07 m s? 1 appears to be the threshold for inducing specimen directionality with shells aligned to the current and the ventral side exposed to the flow. This suggests that feeding strategy is a key factor in determining OS, in addition to drag minimization. We also highlighted the role of adjacent lagoons in supporting high densities as a result of high food availability. These findings demonstrate the usefulness of modeling techniques in explaining the spatial distribution pattern of P. nobilis and in contributing to our knowledge of its ecological traits. |
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