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Litsi-Mizan V, Kalantzi I, Tsapakis M, Pergantis SA, Karakassis I, Apostolaki ET. Trajectories of trace element accumulation in seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) over a decade reveal the footprint of fish farming. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2024; 31:28139-28152. [PMID: 38532209 PMCID: PMC11058863 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32910-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
To evaluate the effect of trace element (TE) release from fish farms on seagrass Posidonia oceanica, we compared TE concentrations (As, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, V, Zn) in shoots near fish cages (Station 'Cage') with those away from them (Station 'Control') in two fish farm facilities (Site 1 and Site 2, North Aegean Sea, Greece). We assessed the present (i.e., 2021, year of sampling) and past (reconstructed period 2012-2020) accumulation of TEs using the living compartments (leaf blades, sheaths, rhizomes, roots, epiphytes) and the dead sheaths, respectively. We also assessed possible seagrass degradation by reconstructing past rhizome production. P. oceanica rhizome production at the 'Cage' stations was up to 50% lower than at the 'Control' stations. Most TE concentrations were higher at 'Cage' stations, but the differences often depended on the seagrass living compartment. Significant differentiation between 'Cage' and 'Control' stations was observed based on the TE concentrations of the dead sheaths during 2012-2020. The contamination level at the 'Cage' stations was mostly moderate in Site 1 and low in Site 2, during the reconstructed period, while an increasing contamination trend was found for certain potential phytotoxic TEs (As, Cu, Cd, Mo, V). Our results emphasize the need for the aquaculture industry to work towards a more ecologically aware approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Litsi-Mizan
- Biology Department, University of Crete, Voutes University Campus, P.O. Box 2208, 70013, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, P.O. Box 2214, 71003, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Ioanna Kalantzi
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, P.O. Box 2214, 71003, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Manolis Tsapakis
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, P.O. Box 2214, 71003, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Spiros A Pergantis
- Department of Chemistry, Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, University of Crete, Voutes University Campus, P.O. Box 2208, 70013, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Ioannis Karakassis
- Biology Department, University of Crete, Voutes University Campus, P.O. Box 2208, 70013, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Eugenia T Apostolaki
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, P.O. Box 2214, 71003, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
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McDonald AM, McDonald RB, Cebrian J, Sánchez Lizaso JL. Reconstructed life history metrics of the iconic seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) detect localized anthropogenic disturbance signatures. Mar Environ Res 2023; 186:105901. [PMID: 36753882 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.105901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Substantial losses of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica have initiated investigations into localized resilience declines related to anthropogenic disturbances. In this study, we determined reconstructed shoot age and interannual growth metrics can detect anthropogenic impact effects on P. oceanica production. Interannual rhizome vertical growth, leaf production, and demographics of shoots collected from sewage and trawling impacted areas were examined using mixed effects modeling. Detected impact effects were specific to the type of impact, manifesting as an older-skewed age distribution of sewage outfall shoots and reduced vertical growth and reduced leaf production of trawling site shoots. A stress event period was also detected for all shoots >5 years old, with trawling impacted shoots indicating little recovery. Reconstructed age and growth metrics are simple to measure, incorporate multiple years of in situ shoot development, and are advantageous for identification of declining P. oceanica resilience prior to catastrophic losses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley M McDonald
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL, USA; University of Florida| IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station, Cedar Key, Florida, USA.
| | | | - Just Cebrian
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL, USA; Northern Gulf Institute, Mississippi State University, Stennis Space Center, MS, USA
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Noè S, Bellavia C, Calvo S, Mazzola A, Pirrotta M, Sciandra M, Vizzini S, Tomasello A. Resilience of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica following pulse-type disturbance. Mar Environ Res 2020; 159:105011. [PMID: 32662440 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.105011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/03/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the response of species to disturbance and the ability to recover is crucial for preventing their potential collapse and ecosystem phase shifts. Explosive submarine activity, occurring in shallow volcanic vents, can be considered as a natural pulse disturbance, due to its suddenness and high intensity, potentially affecting nearby species and ecosystems. Here, we present the response of Posidonia oceanica, a long-lived seagrass, to an exceptional submarine volcanic explosion, which occurred in the Aeolian Archipelago (Italy, Mediterranean Sea) in 2002, and evaluate its resilience in terms of time required to recover after such a pulse event. The study was carried out in 2011 in the sea area off Panarea Island, in the vicinity of Bottaro Island by adopting a back-dating methodological approach, which allowed a retrospective analysis of the growth performance and stable carbon isotopes (δ13C) in sheaths and rhizomes of P. oceanica, during a 10-year period (2001-2010). After the 2002 explosion, a trajectory shift towards decreasing values for both growth performance and δ13C in sheaths and rhizomes was observed. The decreasing trend reversed in 2004 when recovery took place progressively for all the analysed variables. Full recovery of P. oceanica occurred 8 years after the explosive event with complete restoration of all the variables (rhizome growth performance and δ13C) by 2010. Given the ecological importance of this seagrass in marine coastal ecosystems and its documented large-scale decline, the understanding of its potential recovery in response to environmental changes is imperative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Noè
- Department of Earth and Marine Science, University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 22, 90123, Palermo, Italy
| | - Carmelina Bellavia
- Department of Earth and Marine Science, University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 22, 90123, Palermo, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Calvo
- Department of Earth and Marine Science, University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 22, 90123, Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonio Mazzola
- Department of Earth and Marine Science, University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 22, 90123, Palermo, Italy; National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Sciences, CoNISMa, Piazzale Flaminio 9, 00136, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Pirrotta
- Department of Earth and Marine Science, University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 22, 90123, Palermo, Italy
| | - Mariangela Sciandra
- Department of Economics, Business and Statistics, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 13, 90128, Palermo, Italy
| | - Salvatrice Vizzini
- Department of Earth and Marine Science, University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 22, 90123, Palermo, Italy; National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Sciences, CoNISMa, Piazzale Flaminio 9, 00136, Rome, Italy.
| | - Agostino Tomasello
- Department of Earth and Marine Science, University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 22, 90123, Palermo, Italy
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