Document of bibliographic reference 120235

BibliographicReference record

Type

Bibliographic resource

Type of document

Journal article

BibLvlCode

AS

Title

Sediment features, macrozoobenthic assemblages and trophic relationships (d¹³C and d¹⁵N analysis) following a dystrophic event with anoxia and sulphide development in the Santa Giusta lagoon (western Sardinia, Italy)

Abstract

Macrozoobenthic assemblages and stable carbon (d¹³C) and nitrogen (d¹⁵N) isotope values of various primary producers (macroalgae and angiosperms) and consumers (macroinvertebrate filter/suspension feeders, deposit feeders, detritivores/omnivores and carnivores and fishes) were studied in the Santa Giusta lagoon (Sardinia, Italy) before (spring) and after (autumn) a dystrophic event which occurred in the summer of 2004. A few days after the dystrophy, the physico-chemical characteristics of sediments and macrozoobenthic assemblages were also investigated. In the latter occasion, high total organic carbon (3.9%) and organic matter (15.9%) contents of surface sediments went together with peaks in acid-volatile sulphide concentrations. Certain immediate effects were quite extreme, such as the drastic reduction in macrozoobenthos and the massive fish kill in August 2004. Among the macrozoobenthos, there were few individuals of chironomid larvae and Capitella cf. capitata left. However, by October, chironomid larvae were numerous, indicating a lack of predators (e.g. fish) and competitors. In addition, some bivalve species and polychaetes which were absent, or present in small numbers before the event, became relatively numerous. The results are discussed based on a knowledge of the sulphide tolerance of these species. Stable isotope analysis clearly showed that the basal level of the food web for most consumers consisted mainly of macroalgae and sedimentary organic matter, and that the values before and after the dystrophic event were not significantly different from one another. This indicates that the relations among different trophic levels were quickly restored following the dystrophic event.

WebOfScience code

https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:000257774800016

Bibliographic citation

Magni, P.; Rajagopal, S.; van der Velde, G.; Fenzi, G.A.; Kassenberg, J.; Vizzini, S.; Mazzola, A.; Giordani, G. (2008). Sediment features, macrozoobenthic assemblages and trophic relationships (d¹³C and d¹⁵N analysis) following a dystrophic event with anoxia and sulphide development in the Santa Giusta lagoon (western Sardinia, Italy). Mar. Pollut. Bull. 57(1-5): 125-136. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2007.10.015

Topic

Marine

Is peer reviewed

true