Can fluctuating asymmetry in Talitrus saltator (Montagu, 1808) (Crustacea, Amphipoda) populations be used as a bioindicator of stress on sandy beach ecosystems?

This study focused on verifying the fluctuating asymmetry hypothesis in the crustacean Talitrus saltator, which lives in sandy beaches. We analysed three populations, one from an unpolluted Tuscan beach relatively free of tourism, and two from Sicilian beaches, which have been increasingly used for tourism and have been exposed to hydrocarbon/pesticide pollution. Results confirmed the sexual dimorphism in the second antennae flagella, which in the Tuscan population presented directional asymmetry. This population had a significant level of fluctuating asymmetry in the P6 and P3 meri. The results showed the importance of the developmental stage during which environmental mechanical stresses act

Relationships between the dynamics of two Talitrus saltator populations and the impacts of activities linked to tourism

The study considered two ecologically similar coastal areas in Tuscany (Italy).One site belongs to a protected natural area and the other one is infront of a camping site. We analysed the impact of human activities,such as trampling and mechanical beach cleaning, on Talitrus saltator.It turned out that the population density was affected in that it firstdisappeared from the area at the camping site, then recolonised it once the peak of the touristseason at the camping site had passed. The results confirm the sensitivityof this species and its plasticity in adapting to different conditions onthe one hand, and the positive effects of diversification in resourcemanagement on the other hand