Školjkaš korbula, Corbula gibba (Olivi, 1792) (Bivalve Mollusks), otporna vrsta na poremećaje u okolišu. Pregledan rad

Structural changes in bottom communities in many coastal and offshore areas result from enhanced eutrophication and are characterized by the presence of species that are tolerant to a wide range of environmental disturbances. In soft bottom communities that are degraded or recovering from stress, Corbula gibba appears to be a highly abundant, ecologically important species and, therefore, an interesting subject for investigation. The literature compiled in this review reveals that, Corbula is a short-lived species with high fecundity, enormous production of small eggs, and a prolonged spawning season. The fertilization of spawned eggs in open waters is followed by pelagic development of larvae, accompanied by dispersal sometimes far from the mother population. High larvae settlement frequently appears as a “recruitment boom” in a new community after a catastrophe, making Corbula a short-term dominant species until the perished invertebrate species repopulate. As a dominant suspension feeder with rapid juvenile and adult growth, Corbula becomes an important element in the food chain as a transferor of organic matter from plankton to benthos. In a relatively stable soft-bottom community, the size of the Corbula population is mainly limited by the activity of competitors and predators. Dense Corbula populations may occur in a community with low species diversity in constantly and occasionally eutrophic areas. Generally, Corbula is considered an indicator of environmental instability caused by pollution, low oxygen content, or increased turbidity.Školjkaš korbula, Corbula gibba (Olivi, 1792), je rasprostranjena vrsta u evropskim morima i često je obilna u nestabilnim i eutrofiziranim sredinama. Zapažena kao ekološki važna vrsta u obnovi pridnenih zajednica u sjevernom Jadranu, nakon učestalih ugibanja vrsta makrobentosa uzrokovanih nestašicama kisika, korbula se smatrala zanimljivom vrstom za istraživanja populacijskih karakteristika. Pregled do sada objavljenih radova o korbuli ukazuje da je to mala kratko živuća vrsta visokog reprodukcijskog potencijala s obilnom proizvodnjom malih spolnih stanica tijekom produžene sezone mriješćenja. Oplodnja jajnih stanica i razvoj ličinki u planktonskoj zajednici omogućuje njeno širenje u nova područja, kao i u područja osiromašena vrstama nakon katastrofalnih ugibanja. Slobodni prostori, nastali nakon ugibanja brojnih vrsta u pridnenoj zajednici, omogućuju korbuli intenzivno naseljavanje novacima, u prvoj fazi obnove makrobentosa. Tada kao dominirajuća «suspension feeding» vrsta korbula postaje važnim prenosnikom proizvedene organske tvari iz fitoplanktona u bentos. U kasnijem periodu obnove pridnenih zajednica znatno se smanjuje veličina populacije korbule. Čini se da tome pridonosi kratak životni vijek korbule kao i obnova predatorskih vrsta. Sažeto rečeno korbula se zbog svoje otpornosti prema učestalim promjenama sredine smatra indikatorom nestabilnosti, najčešće uzrokovanim sniženjem slanoće morske vode, te pojačanim turbiditetom i zagađivačima, u okolišu snižene bioraznolikosti

Odnosi između i unutar vrsta sesilnih školjkaša istočne obale Jadrana

The paper reviews data published over a long period of time about the Adriatic sessile bivalves attached to living organisms, to various substrates and objects in the sea. A total of 49 species of sessile bivalves from 22 families are recorded, mostly from the subclass Pteromorphia. Interesting examples of their settlement on various substrates and cases of settlement of other macrofaunal species on bivalve shells are discussed.U radu se iznose višegodišnji podaci o jadranskim sesilnim školjkašima prihvaćenim na živim organizmima, raznim predmetima i konstrukcijama u moru. Zabilježeno je 49 vrsta sesilnih školjkaša iz 22 porodice koje većinom pripadaju skupini Pteromorphia. U raspravi se navode zanimljivi primjeri o naseljavanju sesilnih školjkaša na razne podloge kao i nekih makrofaunalnih vrsta na ljušture školjkaša

Prvi nalaz školjkaša Rhomboidella prideauxi (Leach, 1815) u istočnom dijelu Jadranskog mora

Four valves of the bivalve species Rhomboidella prideauxi (Leach, 1815) (Mytilidae) were collected by Mr. F. Velkovrh in the Kornati archipelago. This is the first finding of the species in the eastern Adriatic Sea. Earlier the species was recorded in the Mediterranean Sea and in the eastern Atlantic Ocean.Četiri pojedinačne ljušture školjkaša Rhomboidella prideauxi (Leach, 1815) (Mytilidae) sakupio je F. Velkovrh u području Kornatskog otočja. To je prvi nalaz te vrste u istočnom dijelu Jadranskog mora. Ranije vrsta je bila zabilježena u Sredozemnom moru i u istočnom Atlantskom oceanu

Response to oxygen deficiency (depletion): Bivalve assemblages as an indicator of ecosystem instability in the northern Adriatic Sea

Benthic communities represent a powerful tool for the detection of natural and anthropogenic disturbances, as well as for the assessment of marine ecosystem stability. This paper shows that bivalve assemblages could serve as excellent indicators of disturbance and ecosystem instability. The goal of this study was to compare two sets of data in order to determine the differences between two different periods belonging to bivalve assemblage in the muddy detritic bottom of the northern Adriatic Sea in the post-anoxic period during December 1989, 1990, 1991 and quite a while later, during 2003, 2004 and 2005. Abundances of some indicator species such as Corbula gibba, Modiolarca subpicta and Timoclea ovata were detected during the post-anoxic period. Recruitment in the quality of bivalve assemblages was proved by the ecologic and biotic indexes during 2003, 2004 and 2005, during a period of relatively stable ecological conditions. Fluctuation in bivalve diversity due to the ecological quality of the marine ecosystem in the eastern part of the northern Adriatic Sea is also discusse

Biomonitoring of air quality using lichens

Zagađenje zraka je veliki problem u svijetu u mnogim urbanim, industrijskim i gusto naseljenim područjima. Biomonitoring kvalitete zraka pomoću lišajeva se pokazuje kao idealna metoda da se bez utroška velikih sredstava nadgledaju velika pa čak i nepristupačna područja. Već prije više od 150 godina, Nylander je opazio nestanak epifitskih lišaja u parku u Parizu i povezao tu činjenicu s povećanom zagađenosti zraka. Nova istraživanja na lišajevima nam doprinose razumijevanju i razvijanju novih metoda u korištenju lišajeva u biomonitoringu. U zadnje vrijeme, više studija je analiziralo promijene na biokemijskim razinama u lišajevima te se još istražuju mnoge vrste kako bi se našli idealni bioindikatori za biomonitoring raznih tipova zagađenja. Kako bi zaštitili žive organizme od izlaganja ekološkim opasnostima, potrebno je još bolje razumijevanje učinaka ljudskih djelatnosti te njihova regulacija.Air pollution is a big concern in many urban, industrial and densely populated areas. Biomonitoring of air quality using lichens is revealing as an ideal and less expensive way to monitor large and even unreachable areas. Lichen studies are helping to develop new methods and understandings in use of lichens in biomonitoring. Even more than 150 years ago, Nylander noticed the disappearance of epiphytic lichen in a park in Paris and correlated that fact with the increase in air pollution. Recently, more studies analyse changes at biochemical level in lichens and a number of species is being studied to find ideal bioindicators for biomonitoring various types of pollution. In order to protect living organisms from exposure to environmental hazards, a better understanding of the impact of human activities and their regulation is required

Biomonitoring of air quality using lichens

Zagađenje zraka je veliki problem u svijetu u mnogim urbanim, industrijskim i gusto naseljenim područjima. Biomonitoring kvalitete zraka pomoću lišajeva se pokazuje kao idealna metoda da se bez utroška velikih sredstava nadgledaju velika pa čak i nepristupačna područja. Već prije više od 150 godina, Nylander je opazio nestanak epifitskih lišaja u parku u Parizu i povezao tu činjenicu s povećanom zagađenosti zraka. Nova istraživanja na lišajevima nam doprinose razumijevanju i razvijanju novih metoda u korištenju lišajeva u biomonitoringu. U zadnje vrijeme, više studija je analiziralo promijene na biokemijskim razinama u lišajevima te se još istražuju mnoge vrste kako bi se našli idealni bioindikatori za biomonitoring raznih tipova zagađenja. Kako bi zaštitili žive organizme od izlaganja ekološkim opasnostima, potrebno je još bolje razumijevanje učinaka ljudskih djelatnosti te njihova regulacija.Air pollution is a big concern in many urban, industrial and densely populated areas. Biomonitoring of air quality using lichens is revealing as an ideal and less expensive way to monitor large and even unreachable areas. Lichen studies are helping to develop new methods and understandings in use of lichens in biomonitoring. Even more than 150 years ago, Nylander noticed the disappearance of epiphytic lichen in a park in Paris and correlated that fact with the increase in air pollution. Recently, more studies analyse changes at biochemical level in lichens and a number of species is being studied to find ideal bioindicators for biomonitoring various types of pollution. In order to protect living organisms from exposure to environmental hazards, a better understanding of the impact of human activities and their regulation is required

Fungi in the underground

In some form, mushrooms can be found in very different habitats – in the depths of the ocean, in fresh water, in rocks, on human skin, other animals, plants, in drinks, in clouds, and in every breath we take there are 1 – 10 fungal spores, so we could say that it is impossible to find a place without them. According to the worldwide overview of cave fungi research, Croatia can be classified as one of the better researched parts of the world. Most fungal taxa recorded from caves are cosmopolitan, opportunistic saprotrophs associated with soil, plant material or insects. Underground fungi mainly function as parasites or decomposers of dead organic matter, although one often does not exclude the other. According to new research, it seems that the geographical history of caves is too short for the processes of fungal speciation, and, according to their results, the researched species evolved long before the speleological objects in which they were recorded were formed. Despite this, some species have never been recorded outside caves, and it seems that due to adaptations to various conditions in the environment, they have now remained tied to underground habitats and can no longer repopulate the areas they once inhabited. Some such fungal species could be considered threatened, as their survival depends on several sensitive habitats or host species. It is still necessary to carry out many studies of diversity, biology, ecology and evolution in order to get closer to the knowledge of the richness, complexity and entanglement of the mushroom kingdom, but one thing is unquestionable – fungi have an important and irreplaceable role in the functioning of all ecosystems