Title: | Rocky macrozoobenthos mediolittoral community in the Gulf of Trieste (North Adriatic) along a gradient of hydromorphological modifications |
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Authors: | ID Pitacco, Valentina (Author) ID Mavrič, Borut (Author) ID Orlando-Bonaca, Martina (Author) ID Lipej, Lovrenc (Author) |
Files: | PDF - Presentation file, download (619,30 KB) MD5: 45C9A97B3FD666090E6EDEC0D7EF0B4F
URL - Source URL, visit https://acta.izor.hr/ojs/index.php/acta/article/view/374
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Language: | English |
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Typology: | 1.01 - Original Scientific Article |
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Organization: | NIB - National Institute of Biology
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Abstract: | Despite the increasing urban and industrial development in coastal areas our knowledge on direct consequences of coastal modifications on benthic communities is still limited. The aim of the present study was to assess the response of rocky macrozoobenthos mediolittoral communities to human-induced hydromorphological pressures. Sampling was carried out by SCUBA diving and snorkeling in June 2008. Ten sites were selected along a gradient of hydromorphological alterations in the southern part of the Gulf of Trieste. Variables used to describe the stressor gradient were: water retention (from normal hydrology in unprotected coast to closed areas with only one opening), substrate composition, texture and rugosity. Despite natural differences between upper and lower mediolittoral subbelts, the present work showed that human-induced alterations of the coastal zone impact biological assemblages. There was a marked difference in biodiversity among sites with pristine conditions and stressed zones, mainly due to evenness of species distribution. Structural complexity of the substrate resulted to be the main factor influencing benthic diversity in the upper mediolittoral subbelt, while in the lower subbelt also the human-induced water retention seemed to play a key role. Anyhow, this response was complex, and the major human-induced alterations considered had different level of pressure within the two subbelts. The current study has a good potential to contribute to existing coastal assessment methods, since the impact of hydromorphological pressures on mediolittoral communities was almost neglected in the past. However, further work is needed to fully explain the impact of main human-induced threats on benthic communities. |
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Keywords: | sea, Zoobenthos, artificial substrata, intertidal environment, hydromorphological modifications, ecological distribution, coastal waters, biodiversity, bio-indicators, macrozoobenthos, rocky bottom, biocoenoses, ecological aspects, Gulf of Trieste |
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Publication status: | Published |
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Publication version: | Version of Record |
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Publication date: | 15.06.2013 |
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Year of publishing: | 2013 |
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Number of pages: | str. 67-86 |
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Numbering: | Vol. 54, št. 1 |
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PID: | 20.500.12556/DiRROS-20029 |
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UDC: | 574.587(262.3)(450 Trieste) |
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ISSN on article: | 0001-5113 |
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COBISS.SI-ID: | 2851407 |
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Note: | Članek poslan maja 2012; sprejet v objavo 02.04.2013; Natisnjen jul. 2013; Revijo prejeli 02. avg. 2013;;
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Publication date in DiRROS: | 02.08.2024 |
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Views: | 336 |
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Downloads: | 209 |
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