The influence of physical and biological processes on the ichthyoplankton communities in the Gulf of Sirte (Southern Mediterranean Sea)

This paper reports on the first study on the ichthyoplankton community structure in the Gulf of Sirte and its spatial distribution in relation to environmental conditions and zooplankton abundance. The results make an important contribution to the future management of fisheries in this unexplored, but much exploited, area. Biological samples were collected in July 2008 using a Bongo40 net. In total, 1914 larvae were found and 1652 of these were identified. In particular, bathypelagic taxa were the most abundant, followed by demersal, mesopelagic, pelagic and epipelagic taxa. The ichthyoplankton community had a patchwork distribution influenced by oligotrophic conditions, the bottom depth and oceanographical features. The results suggest that environmental forcings were able to transport the ichthyoplankton to productive areas. Indeed, maximum fish egg densities were found in coastal stations in correspondence with the Atlantic Tunisian Current inflow, whereas larvae were mainly concentrated in the east side of the Gulf, probably as a result of advection by the anticyclonic circulation. Additionally, the distribution patterns of the total larvae density and the different assemblages were well matched with the abundance of the zooplankton, probably determining final larval survival, growth and recruitment.     

Ecology of Vibrios in the Oliveri-Tindari Lagoon (Messina), Two-Year Study

Abstract. A two-year ecological study in the Oliveri-Tindari (Messina) brackish water ponds evaluated the quantitative and qualitative distribution of Vibrio species in relation to the physicochemical conditions of the ponds.
The evaluation of 204 samples shows a general relationship between the halophilic vibrios and water temperature. In particular this relationship is stronger for the Vibrio fraction able to grow at 37°C, i. e. , those species related to human infections. On the other hand, the halophilic vibrios show no relation with the index of fecal contamination.
The ecology of V. parahaemolyticus is discussed in relation to the salinity of Marinello pond.
The distribution of V. cholerae non O1, isolated from all ponds, shows that this microorganism can be considered as autochthonous in coastal environments.     

Carbon fluxes in ecosystems of Yellowstone National Park predicted from remote sensing data and simulation modeling

Background

A simulation model based on remote sensing data for spatial vegetation properties has been used to estimate ecosystem carbon fluxes across Yellowstone National Park (YNP). The CASA (Carnegie Ames Stanford Approach) model was applied at a regional scale to estimate seasonal and annual carbon fluxes as net primary production (NPP) and soil respiration components. Predicted net ecosystem production (NEP) flux of CO₂ is estimated from the model for carbon sinks and sources over multi-year periods that varied in climate and (wildfire) disturbance histories. Monthly Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) image coverages from the NASA Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument (from 2000 to 2006) were direct inputs to the model. New map products have been added to CASA from airborne remote sensing of coarse woody debris (CWD) in areas burned by wildfires over the past two decades.

Results

Model results indicated that relatively cooler and wetter summer growing seasons were the most favorable for annual plant production and net ecosystem carbon gains in representative landscapes of YNP. When summed across vegetation class areas, the predominance of evergreen forest and shrubland (sagebrush) cover was evident, with these two classes together accounting for 88% of the total annual NPP flux of 2.5 Tg C yr^-1 (1 Tg = 10¹² g) for the entire Yellowstone study area from 2000-2006. Most vegetation classes were estimated as net ecosystem sinks of atmospheric CO₂ on annual basis, making the entire study area a moderate net sink of about +0.13 Tg C yr^-1. This average sink value for forested lands nonetheless masks the contribution of areas burned during the 1988 wildfires, which were estimated as net sources of CO₂ to the atmosphere, totaling to a NEP flux of -0.04 Tg C yr^-1 for the entire burned area. Several areas burned in the 1988 wildfires were estimated to be among the lowest in overall yearly NPP, namely the Hellroaring Fire, Mink Fire, and Falls Fire areas.

Conclusions

Rates of recovery for burned forest areas to pre-1988 biomass levels were estimated from a unique combination of remote sensing and CASA model predictions. Ecosystem production and carbon fluxes in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) result from complex interactions between climate, forest age structure, and disturbance-recovery patterns of the landscape.     

Response to short term starvation of growth, haematological, biochemical and non-specific immune parameters in European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and blackspot sea bream (Pagellus bogaraveo)

Growth, haematological (haematocrit), biochemical (serum cortisol and glucose), and non-specific immune (lysozyme, serum haemolytic and haemagglutinating activities, extracellular respiratory burst activity) parameters, were monitored in European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax and blackspot sea bream Pagellus bogaraveo subjected to a 31 days starvation compared to fed fish, to assess the responses to feed deprivation of these health status indicators. While haematocrit, serum cortisol, glucose and haemolytic activity of both species did not undergo significant variation following starvation, probably due to the short period applied, some non-specific immune parameters were affected significantly. In the starved sea bass, mucus lysozyme content doubled (1.8 U/mL) compared to the initial value. Haemagglutinating activity was significantly lower in starved sea bass than in fed fish after 31 days. In blackspot sea bream, a slight, not significant, reduction in haemagglutinating activity occurred 11 days after starvation. Respiratory burst activity decreased significantly in the starved fish. In spite of the limited number of examined parameters, the opportunity to use a panel of several indicators to obtain a more complete picture of health status in fish was underlined.     

Net primary productivity of forest stands in New Hampshire estimated from Landsat and MODIS satellite data

Background

A simulation model that relies on satellite observations of vegetation cover from the Landsat 7 sensor and from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) was used to estimate net primary productivity (NPP) of forest stands at the Bartlett Experiment Forest (BEF) in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

Results

Net primary production (NPP) predicted from the NASA-CASA model using 30-meter resolution Landsat inputs showed variations related to both vegetation cover type and elevational effects on mean air temperatures. Overall, the highest predicted NPP from the NASA-CASA model was for deciduous forest cover at low to mid-elevation locations over the landscape. Comparison of the model-predicted annual NPP to the plot-estimated values showed a significant correlation of R² = 0.5. Stepwise addition of 30-meter resolution elevation data values explained no more than 20% of the residual variation in measured NPP patterns at BEF. Both the Landsat 7 and the 250-meter resolution MODIS derived mean annual NPP predictions for the BEF plot locations were within ± 2.5% of the mean of plot estimates for annual NPP.

Conclusion

Although MODIS imagery cannot capture the spatial details of NPP across the network of closely spaced plot locations as well as Landsat, the MODIS satellite data as inputs to the NASA-CASA model does accurately predict the average annual productivity of a site like the BEF.     

Effect of Hydrocarbons and Decontaminating Substances on Bacterial Flora of Coastal Sediments

Abstract. Seventy six samples of coastal sediments collected in the Straits of Messina were studied in order to evaluate the effects of an oil spill and the consequent "clean-up" operations on heterotrophic acrobic bacteria.
In addition, in vitro tests were carried out to estimate the effects of five dispersants on the growth and oil degrading capacity of marine strains isolated from the same sediments.     

Storage of carbon in U.S. forests predicted from satellite data,ecosystem modeling,and inventory summaries

A plant and soil simulation model based on satellite observations of vegetation and climate data was used to estimate the potential carbon pools in standing wood biomass across all forest ecosystems of the conterminous United States up to the year 1997. These modeled estimates of vegetative carbon potential were compared to aggregated measurements of standing wood biomass from the U. S. Forest Service’s national Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data set and the Carbon Online Estimator (COLE) to understand: 1) predominant geographic variations in tree growth rate and 2) local land cover and land use history including the time since the last stand-replacing disturbance (e.g., from wildfire or harvest). Results suggest that although wood appears to be accumulating at high rates in many areas of the U.S. (Northwest and Southeast), there are still extensive areas of relatively low biomass forest in the late 1990s according to FIA records. We attribute these low biomass accumulation levels to the high frequency of disturbances, which can be observed even in high production areas such as the Southeast due to frequent forest harvests. Ecosystem models like the one presented in this study have been coupled with satellite observations of land cover and green plant density to uniquely differentiate areas with a high potential for vegetative carbon storage at relatively fine spatial resolution.     

Net primary production of terrestrial ecosystems from 2000 to 2009

The CASA (Carnegie-Ames-Stanford) ecosystem model has been used to estimate monthly carbon fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems from 2000 to 2009, with global data inputs from NASA??s Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) vegetation cover mapping. Net primary production (NPP) flux for atmospheric carbon dioxide has varied slightly from year-to-year, but was predicted to have increased over short multi-year periods in the regions of the high-latitude Northern Hemisphere, South Asia, Central Africa, and the western Amazon since the year 2000. These CASA results for global NPP were found to be in contrast to other recently published modeling trends for terrestrial NPP with high sensitivity to regional drying patterns. Nonetheless, periodic declines in regional NPP were predicted by CASA for the southern and western Untied States, the southern Amazon, and southern and eastern Africa. NPP in tropical forest zones was examined in greater detail to discover lower annual production values than previously reported in many global models across the tropical rainforest zones, likely due to the enhanced detection of lower production ecosystems replacing primary rainforest.     

Boundary-Layer Stress Instabilities in Neutral,Rotating Turbulent Flows

Boundary-layer instabilities are studied by analyzing the results of laboratory simulations of wall turbulence in a shear-driven rotating flow. The experiments were carried out in the Turin University Laboratory rotating water tank, where a circular flow was generated by either increasing (spin-up) or decreasing (spin-down) the rotation speed of the platform. The flow was measured using a Particle Image Velocimetry technique and the developed turbulence analyzed. Two cases were accounted for, in the former the measurements were performed over a smooth surface (bottom of the tank), while in the latter a rough-to-smooth transition was considered. The turbulent boundary layer developed inside the tank is analyzed by means of vertical profiles of mean and turbulent quantities and on the basis of drag coefficients. Then turbulent structures developed in the different cases are shown and discussed in terms of the vorticity fields. Finally, an analysis based on the concept of swirling strength was carried out to select among the vortex extremes those associated with a coherent structure.