Reducing the data-deficiency of threatened European habitats: Spatial variation of sabellariid worm reefs and associated fauna in the Sicily Channel, Mediterranean Sea

Biogenic reefs, such as those produced by tube-dwelling polychaetes of the genus Sabellaria, are valuable marine habitats which are a focus of protection according to European legislation. The achievement of this goal is potentially hindered by the lack of essential empirical data, especially in the Mediterranean Sea. This study addresses some of the current knowledge gaps by quantifying and comparing multi-scale patterns of abundance and distribution of two habitat-forming species (Sabellaria alveolata and S. spinulosa) and their associated fauna along 190 km of coast on the Italian side of the Sicily Channel. While the abundance of the two sabellariids and the total number of associated taxa did not differ at any of the examined scales (from tens of centimetres to tens-100 of kilometres), the structure (composition in terms of both the identity and the relative abundance of constituting taxa) of the associated fauna and the abundance of several taxa (the polychaetes Eulalia ornata, Syllis pulvinata, S. garciai, Nereis splendida and Arabella iricolor, and the amphipods Apolochus neapolitanus, Tethylembos viguieri and Caprella acanthifera) varied among locations established ~50e100 km apart. Syllis pulvinata also showed significant variation between sites (hundreds of metres apart), analogously to the other syllid polychaetes S. armillaris and S. gracilis, the nereidid polychaete Nereis rava, and the amphipod Gammaropsis ulrici. The largest variance of S. spinulosa, of the structure of the whole associated fauna and of 56% of taxa analysed individually occurred at the scale of replicates (metres apart), while that of the dominant bio-constructor S. alveolata and of 25% of taxa occurred at the scale of sites. The remaining 19% and the total richness of taxa showed the largest variance at the scale of locations. Present findings contribute to meet a crucial requirement of any future effective protection strategy, i.e., identifying relevant scales of variation to be included in protection schemes aiming at preserving representative samples not only of target habitats and organisms, but also of the processes driving such variabilit

The politics of performance: transnationalism and its limits in former Yugoslav popular music, 1999–2004

This paper examines transnational relations between the Yugoslav successor states from the point of view of popular music, and demonstrates how transnational musical figures (such as Djordje Balaševi?, Mom?ilo Bajagi?-Bajaga and Ceca Ražnatovi?) are interpreted as symbolic reference points in national ethnopolitical discourse in the process of identity construction. Another symbolic function is served by Serbian turbofolk artists, who in Croatia serve as a cultural resource to distance oneself from a musical genre associated by many urban Croats with the ruralization (and Herzegovinization) of Croatian city space. In addition, value judgements associated with both Serbian and Croatian newly composed folk music provide an insight into the transnational negotiation of conflicting identities in the ex-Yugoslav context. Ultimately the paper shows how the ethnonational boundaries established by nationalizing ideologies created separate cultural spaces which themselves have been transnationalized after Yugoslavia's disintegration

A mathematical model for the dissolution of non-occlusive blood clots in fast tangential blood flow

Abstract. Our aim was to study the effect of an axially directed blood plasma flow on the dissolution rate of cylindrical nonocclusive blood clots in an in vitro flow system and to derive a mathematical model for the process. The model was based on the hypothesis that clot dissolution dynamics is proportional not only to the biochemical proteolysis of fibrin but also to the power of the flowing blood plasma dissipated along the clot. The predicted rate of thrombolysis is then proportional to the square of the average blood plasma velocity for laminar flow and to the third power of the average velocity for turbulent flow. To verify the model, the time dependence of the clot cross-sectional area was measured by dynamic magnetic resonance microscopy during fast (turbulent) and slow (laminar) flow of plasma through an axially directed channel along the clot. The flowing plasma contained a magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent (Gd-DTPA) and a thrombolytic agent (recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator). The experimental data fitted well to the model, and confirmed the predicted increase in the dissolution rate when blood flow changed from a laminar to a turbulent flow regime

An initial examination of the population genetic structure of Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in Croatian apple orchards

Microsatellites were used to investigate the genetic structure and gene flow of three codling moth (Cydia pomonella Linnaeus; CM) populations in Croatia. Two populations were subjected to chemical control treatments for the last 15 years, and one population was not subjected to any chemical control treatment. During the assessment of genetic differentiation, only the males caught in pheromone traps were used. Ten variable microsatellites revealed strong allelic variation. The number of alleles (Na) varied from 2 (at loci Cyd 15 and Cyd 14) to 13 (at locus Cp 2.39), with an average value of 7.20 alleles per locus. The observed (HO) and expected heterozygosity (HE) per locus ranged from 0.5 to 0.76 and 0.10 to 0.84, respectively. The measures of pair-wise population genetic structure (FST = 0.02 - 0.04) were low and not significant in all of the comparisons (after correction for multiple comparisons). Additionally, an analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) performed on the three populations, which were grouped geographically according to the type of management or according to the variation across generations (second or third generation individuals), revealed no significant variance in the genetic structure. However, the genetic variation was significantly partitioned within individuals (70-96%). Additionally, the tests for isolation by distance were not significant, suggesting a need to analyse the specifics of human-mediated CM transport over short and long distances within the Croatian apple-growing regions as a possible cause of gene flow. This study supports the hypothesis of genetic exchange in codling moths between orchards at moderate to potentially high levels

Newly Observed Association from the Northern Adriatic Sea: Epizoic Ciliates and Scaled Polychaete Worms

Ciliate protozoans, particularly representatives of the subclass Peritrichia, are well known to establish epibiotic relationships with an array of aquatic Metazoans, nonetheless, very few studies regard these epibionts on polychaetes. In this research we report presence of ciliate peritrichs of the genus Cothurnia, likely to be C. amphicteis and C. peloscolicis, on scaled polychaetes Malmgrenia lilianae, M. andreapolis (fam. Polynoidae) and Sthenelais boa (fam. Sigalionidae), from the Northern Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean). Further morphological studies based on SEM microscopy will be done in order to confirm the identity of Cothurnia species found. This is the first record of the association between ciliates and polychaetes of the family Sigalionidae, and the first report of polychaete-ciliate association from the Adriatic Sea. Moreover, until today representatives of genus Cothurnia were reported from the Adriatic Sea only twice, as epibiont on algae and copepods in the Northern Adriatic. In our research, ciliates (from only few individuals to several tens per polychaete host) were found attached on scale worms chaete, sometimes more than one ciliate per chaeta. Chaetae seem to be favourable base for the attachment of sessile ciliates presumably because the water movement produced by the nearby positioned polychaete branchiae improves conditions for ciliates feeding. On the other hand, considering small size of ciliates, their position on chaete and low density on the host body, it is not very likely that ciliates have negative influence on polychaete host. However, detailed studies should be done in order to elucidate cost-benefit of each partner in this association. More than 21000 individuals from 230 polychaete species were carefully analysed from the same three stations in the northern Adriatic Sea from 2003 to 2008, nonetheless Cothurnia ciliates were only found on the three above mentioned polychaete species, suggesting that these host-symbiont relationships are highly specific. The lack of the previous records of ciliates on polychaetes in the Adriatic Sea probably reflects the lack of research efforts in that direction. This association might be much widespread phenomenon then currently known and it deserves more attention and further investigations

A baseline study of macrofauna from the North Adriatic seaports Raša, Rijeka, Bakar and Omišalj

Seaports are recipients of myriad organic and inorganic pollutants that directly or indirectly released into marine environment. Recently, maritime transport and associated port activities are recognized as increasing source of environmental threats, with ballast water as one of main vectors for initial transport of non-indigenous species (NIS). The goal of this study was to characterize benthic communities associated with hard- and soft-bottom habitats from the four North Adriatic seaports and to check the presence of non-indigenous species. The sampling strategy and methodology followed modified CRIM Protocol (Hewitt and Martin, 2001). Total of 17 higher macrobenthic taxa, and 75 species were identified from the hard substrata, and much less (10 higher taxa, 36 species) from the soft bottom. The results of univariate analyses suggested occurrence of modified and impoverished soft-bottom macrofauna and rather diverse hard bottom fauna. Multivariate analysis indicated significant differences of macrofauna communities among surveyed ports. In total, seven NIS were detected, all belonging to polychaetes. One of them, Platynereis nadiae was recorded for the first time from the Adriatic Sea and it was found in ports of Bakar, Omišalj and Rijeka. Six NIS were reported from the port of Raša: Hydroides dianthus, H. elegans, H. stoichadon, Leiochrides australis, Protolaeospira striata and Pileolaria berkelyana, and the last one was recorded for the first time in the Adriatic Sea

Newly discovered associations between peritrich ciliates (Ciliophora: Peritrichia) and scale polychaetes (Annelida: Polynoidae and Sigalionidae) with a review of polychaete–peritrich epibiosis

In this research, we report the presence of two ciliate protozoans of the subclass Peritrichia, Cothurnia amphicteis and C. peloscolicis, as epibionts on the chaetae of scaled polychaetes Malmgrenia lilianae, M. andreapolis (fam. Polynoidae) and Sthenelais boa (fam. Sigalionidae), from the north Adriatic (Mediterranean Sea). Both ciliate species are herein found for the first time after their original description and are redescribed, based on light and scanning electron microscopy analyses. This is the first record of an association between ciliates and polychaetes of the family Sigalionidae. Our results suggest that these host–epibiont relationships might be highly specific. We also present the first review of epibiosis between polychaetes and peritrich ciliates, indicating that this relationship is more diverse than previously thought. Forty taxa of peritrich ciliates from 12 genera and seven families are recorded as epibionts on polychaetes, while 48 polychaete taxa are known as their hosts. The relationship can be considered ectocommensalism, where the ciliates have the advantages of increased food availability. This association might be a more widespread phenomenon than currently known, because it could be easily overlooked or misinterpreted. It, therefore, deserves careful attention and further investigation

Reducing the data-deficiency of threatened European habitats: Spatial variation of sabellariid worm reefs and associated fauna in the Sicily Channel, Mediterranean Sea

Biogenic reefs, such as those produced by tube-dwelling polychaetes of the genus Sabellaria, are valuable marine habitats which are a focus of protection according to European legislation. The achievement of this goal is potentially hindered by the lack of essential empirical data, especially in the Mediterranean Sea. This study addresses some of the current knowledge gaps by quantifying and comparing multi-scale patterns of abundance and distribution of two habitat-forming species (Sabellaria alveolata and S. spinulosa) and their associated fauna along 190 km of coast on the Italian side of the Sicily Channel. While the abundance of the two sabellariids and the total number of associated taxa did not differ at any of the examined scales (from tens of centimetres to tens-100 of kilometres), the structure (composition in terms of both the identity and the relative abundance of constituting taxa) of the associated fauna and the abundance of several taxa (the polychaetes Eulalia ornata, Syllis pulvinata, S. garciai, Nereis splendida and Arabella iricolor, and the amphipods Apolochus neapolitanus, Tethylembos viguieri and Caprella acanthifera) varied among locations established ~50e100 km apart. Syllis pulvinata also showed significant variation between sites (hundreds of metres apart), analogously to the other syllid polychaetes S. armillaris and S. gracilis, the nereidid polychaete Nereis rava, and the amphipod Gammaropsis ulrici. The largest variance of S. spinulosa, of the structure of the whole associated fauna and of 56% of taxa analysed individually occurred at the scale of replicates (metres apart), while that of the dominant bio-constructor S. alveolata and of 25% of taxa occurred at the scale of sites. The remaining 19% and the total richness of taxa showed the largest variance at the scale of locations. Present findings contribute to meet a crucial requirement of any future effective protection strategy, i.e., identifying relevant scales of variation to be included in protection schemes aiming at preserving representative samples not only of target habitats and organisms, but also of the processes driving such variability