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Abstract: The oceanographic campaign CARPET2014 (Characterizing Adriatic Region Preconditionig EvenTs), (30 January–4 February 2014) collected the very first turbulence data in the Gulf of Trieste (northern Adriatic Sea) under moderate wind (average wind speed 10 m s−1) and heat flux (net negative heat flux ranging from 150 to 400 W m−2). Observations consisted of 38 CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) casts and 478 microstructure profiles (grouped into 145 ensembles) with three sets of yoyo casts, each lasting for about 12 consecutive hours. Averaging closely repeated casts, such as the ensembles, can lead to a smearing effect when in the presence of a vertical density structure with strong interfaces that can move up or down between subsequent casts under the influence of tides and internal waves. In order to minimize the smearing effect of such displacements on mean quantities, we developed an algorithm to realign successive microstructure profiles to produce sharper and more meaningful mean profiles of measured turbulence parameters. During the campaign, the water column in the gulf evolved from well-mixed to stratified conditions due to Adriatic waters intruding at the bottom along the gulf's south-eastern coast. We show that during the warm and relatively dry winter, the water column in the Gulf of Trieste, even under moderate wind forcing, was not completely mixed due to the influence of bottom waters intruding from the open sea. Inside the gulf, two types of water intrusions were found during yoyo casts: one coming from the northern coast of the Adriatic Sea (i.e. cooler, fresher and more turbid) and one coming from the open sea in front of the Po Delta (i.e. warmer, saltier and less turbid). The two intrusions had different impacts on turbulence kinetic energy dissipation rate profiles. The former, with high turbidity, acted as a barrier to wind-driven turbulence, while the latter, with low sediment concentrations and a smaller vertical density gradient, was not able to suppress downward penetration of turbulence from the surface.
Keywords: hydrology, oceanographic data, numerical modelling, wind forcing, turbulence
Published in DiRROS: 01.08.2024; Views: 319; Downloads: 287
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Abstract: The number of harmful cyanobacterial blooms has increased significantly at the global level in recent years. One of the characteristics of cyanobacteria that gives them advantage over other phytoplankton organisms are auxiliary photosynthetic pigments, such as phycocyanin. This fluorescent pigment emits light at a different wavelength as chlorophyll and can therefore be used for detection of cyanobacteria in situ. In this study we used submersible phycocyanin fluorescence sensors and compare their voltage output to concentration of extracted phycocyanin, cell counts and biovolume. The relation was linear in all three cases; however, the variability of regression line slopes between different cyanobacteria strains was high in the case of PC extract concentration and cell count. The highest uniformity in the linear fits was between fluorescence signal and biovolume therefore making it the best candidate for fluorescence sensor voltage output conversion. In the context of this work we also compared different methods for PC extraction. Modifying the equations by subtracting the absorption at 750 nm almost entirely reduces the false PC concentration estimation due to sample turbidity.
Keywords: fluorescence measurements, phycocyanin, cyanobacteria
Published in DiRROS: 01.08.2024; Views: 306; Downloads: 133
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Abstract: The tetrasporophyte of the non-indigenous red alga Asparagopsis armata (the Falkenbergia stage) is considered to be established in Slovenian coastal waters. However, until 2016, it was found only in low coverage and in few localities with hard substrata. The paper reports a recent bloom of these tetrasporophytes in the mediolittoral belt of the Bay of Piran, where thalli of this red alga overgrew the articularted coralline alga Corallina officinalis. The sites affected by this large expansion of tetrasporophytes of A. armata should be regularly monitored in the future, in order to point out which environmental factors are responsible for such phenomenon, and to formulate proper conclusions on the status of this non-indigenous alga in the coastal area concerned.
Keywords: non-indigenous species, coastal waters, autburst, northern Adriatic Sea
Published in DiRROS: 01.08.2024; Views: 303; Downloads: 196
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Abstract: Many species of black yeasts can survive extremely harsh conditions and can quickly adapt to novel environments. These traits were proposed to have a role in the ability of some fungal species tocolonise indoor habitats inhospitable for majority of microorganisms, and to cause (opportunistic)infections in humans. In order to better understand the stress tolerance of black yeasts and thereby their opportunism, we focused our research on the three model black yeasts: the polyextremotolerant Au-reobasidium melanogenum and Exophiala dermatitidis, and the extremely halotolerant Hortaeawerneckii. These black yeasts are shown to thrive at temperatures, salinities, pH values and, H2O2 concentrations that inhibit growth of mesophilic species. Most importantly, unlike their close relatives they can not only grow, but also synthesize siderophores (E. dermatitidis) or degradeproteins (A. melanogenum) at 37 °C - traits that are crucial for pathogenesis in humans. These results support the hypothesis that the ability to cope with various environmental stresses is linked to the opportunistic behaviour of fungi. Therefore, better understanding of the connections between the stress-tolerant biology of black fungi and their ability to cause disease is needed, in particular due to their changing interactions with humans and their emerging pathogenicity.
Keywords: melanised fungi, temperature, NaCl, pH tolerance, ROS, oligotrophism, proteolytic activity, capsule
Published in DiRROS: 01.08.2024; Views: 319; Downloads: 171
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Abstract: One specimen belonging to the nudibranch Marionia blainvillea (Risso, 1818) was found crawling on the gorgonian Leptogorgia sarmentosa (Esper, 1789) at Sv. Nedjelja, Boka Kotorska Bay, Montenegro. This is the first record of the species for Montenegrin waters and the third for the Adriatic Sea.
Keywords: seaslug, coralligenous assemblage, Boka Kotorska, Montenegro
Published in DiRROS: 01.08.2024; Views: 305; Downloads: 181
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