Dieta del pez de San Francisco Synodus saurus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Pisces, Synodontidae) en el Mediterráneo central

The diet composition of the Atlantic lizardfish Synodus saurus, caught on sandy bottoms of the north-western coast of Sicily (southern Tyrrhenian Sea) is described. The stomachs of 224 specimens (from 73 to 280 mm TL) were collected between June 2005 and May 2006. The analysis of stomach contents showed that this species is almost exclusively piscivorous. Unlike other benthic predators of the study area, it mainly feeds on pelagic school-forming fish, such as Clupeidae, Engraulidae and Myctophidae and juveniles of Sparidae and Centracanthidae, and benthic prey play a secondary role. The diet of S. saurus is related to the seasonal availability of resources, depending on the occurrence of juveniles of several species and on the migration of pelagic fishes in the study area. There were no significant changes in prey items between predator length groups, but a positive, significant linear relationship between prey size and predator size was recorded.El presente trabajo ha estudiado la composición de la dieta del pez de San Francisco Synodus saurus, pescado sobre fondos arenosos en la costa nor-occidental de Sicilia (Tirreno meridional). El análisis del contenido estomacal de 224 individuos (entre 73 y 280 mm LT), pescados entre junio 2005 y mayo 2006, evidenció que S. saurus es una especie casi exclusivamente ictiófaga. A diferencia de otros depredadores bentónicos, S. saurus se alimenta fundamentalmente de peces que forman bancos pelágicos como Clupeidae, Engraulidae y Myctophidae y de los juveniles de las familias Sparidae y Centracanthidae, mientras las presas bentónicas resultaron secundarias. S. saurus exhibió una estrategia alimentaria relacionada con la disponibilidad estacional de recursos, dependiendo de la ocurrencia de juveniles de varias especies y de la migración de peces pelágicos en el área de estudio. No hubo cambio significativo de presas entre grupos de tallas pero se evidenció una relacción positiva, lineal y estadísticamente significativa entre el tamaño de la presa y del depredador

Making the Communication of CCS more "human"

CCS communication has proven a tough challenge, particularly for the difficulty in raising interest for the technology, which is still unknown to the majority of the population, and for the complexity of conveying information about its potential for reducing emissions. In this paper we present a research based effort for bringing CCS nearer to people, through visual material developed taking into account emotional needs related to the technology. The production of a short introductory film on CCS is illustrated and its testing with a sample of 700 high school students

Gospodarski ulov, reprodukcija i prehrambene navike raže zvjezdopjege Raja asterias (Chondrichthyes: Rajidae) u priobalju Tirenskog mora (Italija, sjeverni Mediteran)

A total of 52 “rapido” (towed toothed beam gears) trawls were monitored in late winter-summer of the 1999-2000 period to assess the R. asterias size structure at this time of higher yields as well as 36 fishing operations performed by “volantina” (trawl nets with fairly high vertical opening) during distinct seasons on the continental shelf off the fishing harbour of Fiumicino (central western Italy) to gain data also for that gear. Daily yields recorded for the only boat locally authorised to use “rapido” nets gave median values of 32.0 individuals and 24.35 kg vs. 2.5 rays and 2.80 kg for trawlers fishing at the same time. Comparison of the body sizes at which 50% of the skates had been found mature in our samples (265 gonads examined) showed that most specimens caught by the “rapido” nets were in their juvenile stage. Examination of stomach contents from 129 skates confirmed previous reports that they mainly feed on crustaceans and bony fish and the role of the latter in the diet progressively increases as R. asterias specimens grow older and larger.Istraživana su ukupno 52 potega dredžama (“rapido”) u kasnom zimskom-ljetnom periodu 1999.-2000. godine kako bi se ustanovila veličina raže zvjezdopjege, R. asterias u vrijeme većeg ulova. Obavljeno je 36 ribarstvenih uzorkovanja pomoću “volantina” (koće većeg okomitog raspona) tijekom različitih godišnjih doba na kontinentalnom šelfu pokraj luke Fiumicino (srednji zapadni dio Italije) kako bi se dobili podaci i o ovom ribarskom alatu. Dnevni ulov zabilježen na brodu registriranom za uporabu “rapido” mreža iznosio je 32.0 jedniki i 24.35 kg od toga 2.5 kg raža i 2.80 kg koćarskog ulova istovremeno. Usporedbom veličine tijela uzoraka 50% raža je bilo zrelo (265 ispitanih gonada) što ukazuje na činjenicu da je većina ulovljenih primjeraka “rapido” mrežom bilo u juvenilnom stadiju. Ispitivanje želučanog sadržaja kod 129 raža potvrdilo je dosadašnja izvješća da se pretežito hrane rakovima i koštunjičavim ribama, koje su zastupljenije u prehrani starijih i većih primjeraka R. asterias

Continuous monitoring of natural CO2 emissions near Rome: lessons for low-level CO2 leakage detection

Continuous monitoring has been carried out at a fluvial flood-plain site near Rome for over a year. There is a mix of biogenic CO2 and deep geogenic CO2 at the site at relatively low concentrations and fluxes compared with other natural CO2 seepage sites studied previously. Factors such as temperature and soil moisture clearly affect the CO2 concentration and flux and seasonal and diurnal influences are apparent. Statistical approaches are being used to try to define these relationships and separate out the two gas components, which would be necessary in any quantification of leakage from CO2 storage

Growth and Welfare of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Response to Graded Levels of Insect and Poultry By-Product Meals in Fishmeal-Free Diets

This study compared the nutrient-energy retention, digestive function, growth performance, and welfare of rainbow trout (ibw 54 g) fed isoproteic (42%), isolipidic (24%), fishmeal-free diets (CV) over 13 weeks. The diets consisted of plant-protein replacement with graded levels (10, 30, 60%) of protein from poultry by-product (PBM) and black soldier fly H. illucens pupae (BSFM) meals, either singly or in combination. A fishmeal-based diet was also tested (CF). Nitrogen retention improved with moderate or high levels of dietary PBM and BSFM relative to CV (p < 0.05). Gut brush border enzyme activity was poorly affected by the diets. Gastric chitinase was up-regulated after high BSFM feeding (p < 0.05). The gut peptide and amino acid transport genes were differently regulated by protein source and level. Serum cortisol was unaffected, and the changes in metabolites stayed within the physiological range. High PBM and high BSFM lowered the leukocyte respiratory burst activity and increased the lysozyme activity compared to CV (p < 0.05). The BSFM and PBM both significantly changed the relative percentage of lymphocytes and monocytes (p < 0.05). In conclusion, moderate to high PBM and BSFM inclusions in fishmeal-free diets, either singly or in combination, improved gut function and nutrient retention, resulting in better growth performance and the good welfare of the rainbow trout

Determination of trace metal baseline values in Posidonia oceanica, Cystoseira sp. and other marine environmental biomonitors: a quality control method for a study in South Tyrrhenian coastal areas

In this study we investigated Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn in the seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile leaves and in the brown algae Cystoseira sp. sampled along a 280 Km transect in the Tyrrhenian Sea, from the Ustica to Linosa Islands (Sicily, Italy) with the aim to determine their control charts (baseline levels). By applying the Johnson’s (1949) probabilistic method we determined the metal concentration overlap ranges in a group of five biomonitors. Here we propose the use of the indexes of bioaccumulation with respect to the lowest (L’i) and the highest (Li) extreme values of the overlap metal concentration ranges. These indexes allow the identification of the most opportune organism (or a suite of them) to better managing particular environmental conditions. Posidonia leaves have generally high Li indexes for Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn, and this suggest its use as biomonitor for baseline marine areas. Our results confirm the high aptitude of Patella as a good biomonitor for Cd levels in seawater. From this study, Ustica resulted with higher levels of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn than the other Sicilian islands

Phytoplankton Dynamics in the Pelagos Sanctuary: a Satellite Approach

Phytoplankton dynamics in the Pelagos International Marine Mammals Sanctuary, NW Mediterranean Sea, was studied using five years (1998-2002) of Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) data. Mean chl images were derived for 10-day periods and a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) performed over the whole dataset. The surface patterns were used to trace the seasonal sequence of events that supports the extraordinary ecology of the Sanctuary, where the fertilization of surface waters due to air-sea interactions supports a large biomass of primary (and secondary) producers, as well as a highly developed food web, including a standing population of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus).JRC.H.3-Global environement monitorin

Baseline trace metals in gastropod mollusks from the Beagle Channel, Tierra del Fuego (Patagonia, Argentina)

With the aim to evaluate the mollusk Nacella (P)magellanica as biomonitor of elemental pollution in seawater of the Beagle Channel, more than one hundred individuals of the gastropod were sampled, separated in viscera and muscle, and then examined with respect to the accumulation of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn. Collection was performed in seven strategic locations along 170 km of the coastal area of the Beagle Channel (Tierra del Fuego, Argentina) in two campaigns during 2005 and 2007. Samples of surrounding seawater in the different sites were obtained and tested for the same metals as well. The accumulation capacity of Nacella (P)magellanica and thus its aptitude as biomonitor, was evaluated through the calculus of the preconcentration factors of the metals assayed. A discussion involving the comparison with other mollusks previously tested will be given. Several statistical approaches able to analyze data with environmental purposes were applied. Non parametric univariate tests such as Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney were carried out to assess the changes of the metal concentrations with time (2005 and 2007) in each location. Multivariate methods (linear discriminant analysis on PCA factors) were also applied to obtain a more reliable site classification. Johnson's probabilistic method was carried out for comparison between different geographical areas. The possibility of employing these results as heavy metals0 background levels of seawater from the Beagle Channel will be debated. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012.Fil: Conti, Marcelo Enrique. Università di Roma; Italia. International Academy of Environmental Sciences; ItaliaFil: Stripeikis, Jorge Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; ArgentinaFil: Finoia, Maria Grazia. Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale; ItaliaFil: Tudino, Mabel Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; Argentin

Baseline Trace Metals Concentration in Monodonta turbinata Throughout Pontine Islands Archipelago, Italy

With the aim to assess the gastropod mollusk Monodonta turbinata as biomonitor of trace metal pollution in seawater of a central Tyrrhenian ecosystem (Pontine Islands archipelago, Italy), one hundred individuals were collected in five strategic locations in two sampling campaigns during 2011 and 2012. Concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were measured in the mollusks and in seawater samples (soluble fraction) collected in the same sites in order to obtain the respective concentration factors (CFs). Two-way ANOVA was applied to verify the presence of site and time effects. Then, the significant time effect due to the two sampling campaigns was eliminated by defining six new variables (one for each metal) and applied multivariate statistics in order to obtain more reliable results. Subsequently, the levels of metal contamination of Pontine Islands were compared with the naturality concentration ranges (control charts) previously established for the Tyrrhenian Sea (Italy; Conti et al. in Environ Sci Pollut Res 22:3640–3651, 2015). Monodonta resulted to be a very good accumulator of Cd (CF = 2100) and good accumulator of Cr (CF = 1570), Pb (CF = 1000) and Zn (CF = 1160). Levels of Cd, Ni, Pb and Zn in Monodonta from 2011 to 2012 decreased in the range from -22.8 of Pb to -41.9% of Cd in Ponza Frontone, Ponza Cala Fonte and Ponza harbor sites; on the contrary, Cr and Cu showed an increase of 3.4 and 63.7%, respectively, in the same sites from 2011 to 2012. A not univocal trend ofmetal bioaccumulation patterns between the two sampling campaigns (2011–2012) in the selected sites was observed. No one site resulted to be evidently more contaminated than another (i.e., Ponza harbor site as expected). In general, the metal levels in these marine areas are low and within the previously established baseline ranges for Tyrrhenian Sea (control charts). The results here reported can be used as a reference baseline levels for comparison with other marine geographical areas

Baseline trace metals in Patella caerulea in a central Tyrrhenian ecosystem (Pontine Islands archipelago and Lazio region coastal sites, Italy)

In this study, we tested the aptitude of the gastropod mollusk Patella caerulea as biomonitor of elemental pollution in seawater of a central Tyrrhenian ecosystem (Pontine Islands archipelago and Lazio region coastal sites, Italy). Concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were measured in 120 individuals collected in six strategic locations in two sampling campaigns during 2011 and 2012. Samples of surrounding seawater were also collected in the same sites and tested for the same metals in order to obtain the respective concentration factors (CFs). Then, we analyzed the evolution of contamination in the selected sites and compared our results with the baseline levels (control charts) previously established for Tyrrhenian seas (Conti et al. Environ Sci Pollut R 22:3640–3651,2015). With this purpose, we defined six new variables (one for each metal) and then we applied multivariate statistics, i.e., cluster analysis and discriminant analysis on the principal component analysis factors in order to obtain more reliable results. Patella resulted to be a strong bioaccumulator of Cd (CFs = 8990) and a good accumulator of Cr, Pb, and Zn. The levels of the majority of metals (i.e., Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in Patella decreased in the range from −13.06% of Zn to −42.51% of Ni in Fiumicino harbor, Anzio beach, and Ponza Harbor from 2011 to 2012. In general, the metal levels in these marine areas are low and within the previously established baseline ranges for Tyrrhenian Sea (control charts). Here, we found a not univocal trend of metal bioaccumulation patterns between the two sampling campaigns (2011–2012) in the selected sites. No one site resulted to be clearly more contaminated than another (i.e., harbor sites as expected). For instance, for Cd, we detected a relevant increase of its levels (+118%) in the harbors and Anzio beach sites from 2011 to 2012; however, they remained at lower levels of the lower limit (Q2.5) of the control chart. Higher Pb levels with respect to the baseline values were observed for the majority of samples in the Ponza Cala Fonte site. Patella confirmed its usefulness as a cosmopolitan trace metal biomonitor in marine Mediterranean areas. The possibility of employing these results as a baseline level for comparative purposes in other marine areas is fully debated