Topic 02 oral biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, pp 31 74

Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning

--- Oral presentations ---

International Conference MarCoastEcos2012, Tirana, Albania, 25-28 April 2012

Proceedings32

Plenary lecture

COMMUNITY ARCHITECTURE AND ECOSYSTEM PROCESSES INMEDITERRANEAN LAGOONS

*Alberto Basset, Ilaria Rosati

Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies,University of Salento – 73100 Lecce, Italy

*E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Top-down and bottom up approaches have been applied to explain community organisation andecosystem processes. Here, following a hierarchical structure of ecosystems highlighting the relevance ofhigh-level constraints, we focus on the common structural patterns of benthic communities and therelationships with key ecosystem processes, constituting the general architecture of ecologicalcommunities in Mediterranean lagoons. To this aim, we have approached a description of biodiversity inlagoon ecosystem on a biogeographical along the Mediterranean coasts. The description wasdownscaled at the landscape level focusing on the different benthic habitat types and addressing therelationships between biodiversity and functional diversity, on the one hand and ecosystem processesand properties, on the other. We searched for common patterns in biodiversity within and among scalesand for bottom up (species trait based) vs. top-down (ecosystem property based) explanations. Rarity,redundancy and singularity are key properties of benthic macroinvertebrate guilds at every geographicalarea, affecting and diversity. At every area a high regional biodiversity is determined by a large number ofrare species and a high dissimilarity among lagoons. Life cycle traits and the behaviour of larval stages,at the species level, as well as lagoon openness and vigour, at the ecosystem level, seem to have amajor role to explain the difference in patterns of biodiversity between study areas at a biogeographicalscale. The same species and ecosystem level properties, together with spatial patchiness, seem also tobe key factors downscaling biodiversity analysis at the landscape level. The analysis performed supportthe scaling of biodiversity in lagoon ecosystems, which results from cumulative integrations of rarespecies with narrow ranges across spatial and temporal scales. The analysis also suggests thatecosystem properties, as openness and vigour, determining connectivity and overall niche space, have amajor role to explain biodiversity at the different scale considered.

Keywords: community architecture, ecosystem processes, Mediterranean lagoons

Oral presentations: Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning

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Plenary lecture

BIODIVERSITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ADAPTABILITY INTRANSITIONAL WATERS

*1Sofia Reizopoulou, 2Georgios Fyttis, 3Eva Papastergiadou,1Kalliopi Sigala, 4Alberto Basset, 5Artemis Nicolaidou

1Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Oceanography,

PO Box 712, 190 13 Anavyssos, Attiki, Greece2Oceanography Center of Cyprus, University of Cyprus,

P.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus3Department of Biology, Section of Plant Biology, University of Patras,

GR 26 500 University Campus Patras, Greece4DiSTeBA, University of Salento, SP Lecce Monteroni 73100 Lecce, Italy

5Department of Zoology Marine Biology, School of Biology, University of Athens, 15784 Panepistimiopoli,

Athens, Greece*E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Comparative study of different Mediterranean lagoons has indicated that seawater influence has theprimary control in determining the diversity level of these ecosystems. It is mainly the marine influencewhich structures the environmental gradient, with species richness following a single-scale pattern. Themain groups forming the communities are the widely occurring, specialised in inhabiting the transitionzone. However, the presence of the marine group within restricted ranges help in increasing the speciesrichness of each ecosystem. Many anthropogenic interventions influencing the hydrologicalcharacteristics of coastal lagoons (i.e. damming) further affect the relationships between marine waterinfluence and the biological zoning.

Keywords: coastal lagoons, species richness, biodiversity patterns, biological zoning


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THE CYST BANK IN THE MARINE SEDIMENTS OF THE VLORA BAY(ALBANIA)

1Fernando Rubino, 2Salvatore Moscatello, 2Manuela Belmonte,2Gianmarco Ingrosso, *2Genuario Belmonte

1IAMC, CNR, UOS Talassografico “A. Cerruti”, 74100 Taranto, Italy

2Lab. of Zoogeography and Fauna, CoNISMa U.O. Lecce, DiSTeBA University of the Salento,

73100 Lecce, Italy.*E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

In the framework of the INTERREG III project CISM, sediment cores were collected at two stations in Gulfof Vlora to study the assemblages of cysts produced by plankton. A total of 87 different cyst morphotypeswere identified, mostly produced by Dinophyta together with Ciliophora, Rotifera and planktonicCrustacea. In 22 cases the cyst belonged to a species not reported from the plankton during acontemporaneous study of the water column. About the taxonomic composition, the most abundant cystswere the calcareous ones produced by Scrippsiella species (Dinophyta). Other calcareous-walled cystswere identified as fossil species described from Pleistocene to Pliocene strata. They were found also insurface sediments and this finding together with the successful germination obtained for some of themprove their modern status. Total abundances generally decreased with sediment depth at station 40,while an irregular trend characterized the station 45 which showed distinctive maxima at 3

rdand 8

thcm

below the sediment surface. In addition different species showed peaks of abundance at different depthsin the sediment. The present work represents the first study on the bank of plankton resting stagesexisting in the marine sediments of the Vlora bay. The study confirmed the utility of such a kind ofinvestigation for a more correct evaluation of the species diversity. The different distribution along thesediment depth, in addition, suggests that this field could be of topical importance in the assessment ofthe story of species assemblages variability.

Keywords: Resting stages, Gulf of Vlora, South-East Europe, Mediterranean Sea, Plankton Resilience,Cyst banks.

Introduction

Resting stages (cysts) produced by plankton organisms in temperate seas accumulate inbottom sediments of confined coastal areas (Belmonte et al., 1995). They represent biodiversityreservoirs which sustain high resilience capacity of plankton communities, fueling them withrecruits of propagules at each return of favourable conditions, according to the so-called SupplyVertical Ecology model (Marcus & Boero, 1998). The existence of benthic stages in the lifecycles of holoplankton gives a new interpretation key in the understanding of life cycles role inthe pelagic-benthic coupling of coastal sea (Giangrande et al., 1994; Boero et al., 1996). As aconsequence, the assessment of the biodiversity at each marine site should consider theunexpressed fraction of the plankton community which stays in the bottom sediments, byperforming integrated sampling programs (Moscatello et al., 2004; Rubino et al., 2009).Notwithstanding this ascertained importance of cyst banks in the coastal marine ecology, thetopic resting vs activity of plankters has commonly been considered for single taxa, and onlyscantly from the whole community point of view. This has been probably due to the greatcomplexity (compositional, functional, and distributional) of cyst banks. In fact, it has beendemonstrated that the species assemblages in bottom sediments (as resting stages, or cysts) ateach time are quite different from those collectable in the water column (as active stages)(Rubino et al., 1998; 2009). The study of marine cyst banks, however, is complex due todifferent points of view. Cysts share a common morphological plan (Belmonte et al., 1997) evenif belonging to organisms from different realms. The cyst morphology is usually convergent andconsequently sharply different from that of active stages. In fact, in some cases theiridentification is very problematic. But it is also true that for some naked dinoflagellates or with asimilar thecal plates pattern, cyst could be quite different, allowing a correct identification withoutthe use of SEM or molecular techniques. Species producing cysts show different life cyclelengths and/or timing in cyst production. The rest capability of cysts is different too. They are


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generally programmed to rest for the duration of the adverse period, but fractions of them canalso rest for extra-long periods, allowing the population to travel over time for decades (Marcuset al., 1994; Jiang et al., 2004; Dahms et al., 2006; for copepods; Belmonte et al., 1999; Ribeiroet al., 2011; for dinoflagellates). Hairston et al. (1995), although for freshwater species, reporteda rest of more than 300 years for a Calanoida egg.The particularly scant literature existing about the whole cyst bank community, encouraged usto describe situations in any part of the Mediterranean, with the aim to obtain a rich data set onwhich to base models and experimental situations.The present study, in addition, has been programmed for an Albanian bay, a geographic area ingeneral poorly studied from the marine biodiversity point of view. The present data will becompared also with those deriving from water column analysis of phytoplankton and micro-zooplankton (Moscatello et al., 2011) to assess with more precision the biodiversity of theplankton in the Vlora bay.

Materials and methods

Study siteAn oceanographic campaign has been carried out in the Vlora bay from 17th to 23rd of January2008 aboard the o.v. “Universitatis” of the CoNISMa. This survey was in the framework of theProject PIC Interreg III Italy-Albania for the technical assistance to the management of anInternational Centre of Marine Sciences in Albania (CISM).In order to investigate the presence and distribution of resting stages produced by planktonicspecies in the area, 2 stations were chosen, representing two different typologies ofenvironment: a deep zone (station 40, depth: 54 m), of terrigenous mud dominated by thepresence of Labidoplax digitata (Holothuroidea), and a shallower site (Station 45, depth: 28 m),of terrigenous mud dominated by Turritella communis (Gastropoda) (Figure 1) (for theclassification of mud biocenoses of the Vlora Bay, see Maiorano et al., 2011).

Figure 1. Map of the study area with the localization of the two investigated sampling stations(n.40, n.45) in the Gulf of Vlora (Albania)


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Sampling procedureSamples of bottom sediments were collected in three replicates using a Van Veen grab withupper windows that allowed the collection of undisturbed sediment cores. At each station, 2different PVC corers have been used (h: 30 cm; inner : 4 and 8 cm) for the analysis of cysts produced by phyto- and zooplankton, respectively.Sediment cores obtained were immediately subdivided into 1 cm thick layers, until 15th cm fromthe sediment surface. The margin of each layer was discarded to avoid the contamination ofmaterial from the upper strata during the insertion of the corer into the sediments. Onceobtained, the samples were stored in the dark at 5°C, until the treatment in the laboratory.Different methodologies were used to extract from sediments cysts produced by phytoplanktonand zooplankton. This differentiation has been necessary because phytoplankton’s cysts aremore abundant then zooplankton ones and have different types of cyst walls (calcareous,siliceous, organic) that create complexity to the procedure when the whole cyst bank is studied.So, the most fruitful method of separation from the sediment is to use a filtration techniquethrough meshes of different sizes. On the contrary, zooplankton’s resting stages are lessabundant, and their walls are only organic, allowing the adoption of a centrifugation methodcoupled with the filtration, to obtain a “clean” sample from a relatively great quantity of sediment.

Phytoplankton cysts (20-125 μm) In the laboratory the samples were treated according to a sieving technique basically consistingof the following steps: the entire sample is homogenized and then subsampled, obtaining of 3-5 ml of wet

sediment which are screened through a 20 µm mesh (Endecott’s LTD steel sieves,ISO3310-1, London, England), using natural filtered (0.45 μm) seawater (Taranto Bay).

the retained fraction is ultrasonicated for 1 min and screened again through a sievebattery (125, 75 and 20 µm mesh sizes), obtaining a fine-grained fraction containingprotistan cysts (20-75 µm), a 75-125 µm fraction with larger dinoflagellate resting stages(e.g. Lingulodinium spp.), and zooplankton resting eggs. The material retained onto the125 µm mesh is discarded.

No chemicals were used to disaggregate sediment particles in order to avoid the dissolution ofcalcareous and siliceous cyst walls.Qualitative and quantitative analyses were carried out under an inverted microscope (ZeissAxiovert S100 equipped with a Nikon Coolpix 990 digital camera) at 200 and 320magnifications. Both full (i.e. presumably viable) and empty (germinated) cysts were considered.At least 1/5 of the sample was analysed for the finest fraction, whereas the >75 µm fraction wasentirely examined.All the recognised resting stage morphotypes were identified on the basis of publisheddescriptions and germination experiments.Identification was performed at species level. When this was not possible, higher taxa wereconsidered. As a rule, the modern, biological names were used. Only for morphotypes whoseactive stage is not known, the paleontological name has been reported.A fixed aliquot of sediment from each sample was oven-dried at 70°C for 24 h to calculate thewater content and obtain quantitative data for each taxon as cysts x g-1 of dry sediment.

Zooplankton resting eggs (45-200 μm) In this case the Onbè (1978) method was used, slightly modified using 45 and 200 μm mesh sizes to obtain a size range typical of mesozooplankton resting eggs.For each sample a fixed quantity of wet sediment has been treated (45 cm3).Only viable resting eggs were counted and quantitative data for each taxon are reported asresting eggs x 100g-1 of dry sediment.

Germination experimentsTo achieve germination, single viable (full) cysts and resting eggs were isolated using amicropipette and placed into Nunclon microwells (Nalge Nunc International, Roskilde, Denmark)containing ≈1 ml of natural sterilised seawater. Cysts were incubated at 20°C, 12:12 h LD cycle and 100 μE m-2 sec-1 irradiance, and daily examined until germination, or discharged after 30days of unsuccessful incubation.


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Data analysisResting stages abundance from surface sediments of the two study sites was obtained mergingthe data coming from the three replicates of the two sets of samples (those for phytoplanktonand zooplankton resting stages). Density values are expressed as cysts x g-1 of dry sediment.For stratigraphic analysis, only the data from the zooplankton fraction (45-200 μm) were used just to facilitate and speed the analysis. In this case density values are expressed as cysts 100g-1 of dry sediment. From abundance matrix (taxa vs stations and taxa vs station and cmrespectively) of both surface sediments and stratigraphy, the Bray-Curtis similarity wascalculated after 4th root transformation in order to allow rare species to become more evident.The PRIMER function DIVERSE (Primer-E Ltd, Plymouth, UK) was used to calculate taxonomicrichness (S), taxon abundance (N), Margalef (d) and Shannon-Wiener diversity (H’) and Pielou’sevenness (J’), for each sample.Relationships between the samples collected at the two stations were analyzed by means of anon-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) with superimposed the hierarchical clustering witha cut at 60% (for surface sediments) and 70% (for stratigraphy) of similarity, while the SIMPERroutine was used to identify % dissimilarity and the taxa that mostly contributed to thedifferences.Moreover, the statistical significance of the differences between the two stations was calculatedby means of a 2-way crossed analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) on the Bray-Curtis similaritymatrix from stratigraphy.All univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using PRIMER v.6 package (Primer-ELtd, Plymouth, UK).

Results

Total biodiversityResting stages were found at all the levels along the sediment core columns from the twoinvestigated sites in the Vlora bay.Merging the data coming from the two set of samples (20-125 μm and 45-200 μm) and considering both viable and germinated forms from each station, 87 different resting stagemorphotypes produced by plankton were recognized (Table 1). Most of them (59, inrepresentation of 20 genera) were dinoflagellates, 16 were ciliates (9 genera), 4 rotifers (2genera), 5 crustaceans (4 genera), while 3 (1 cyst type and 2 resting eggs) remainedunidentified. Station 40 showed the highest biodiversity with 79 morphotypes, 35 of themexclusive. At Station 45, 52 cyst morphotypes were observed, 8 of them exclusive of the site.Moreover, the analysis of the germinated cysts for the fraction 20-125 μm, allowed the discovery of 11 types not observed as viable, all produced by dinoflagellates.

Table 1. List of the resting stage (cyst) morphotypes recovered from sediments of Gulf of Vlora(Albania). cysts observed as viable (i.e. full), cysts observed as germinated (i.e. empty).

taxonSt.40

St.45

Dinoflagellates

Alexandrium minutum Halim

Alexandrium tamarense (Lebour) Balech

Alexandrium sp.1

Alexandrium sp.2

Bicarinellum tricarinelloides Versteegh

Calcicarpinum perfectum Versteegh

Calciodinellum albatrosianum (Kamptner) Janofske & Karwath

Calciodinellum operosum (Deflandre) Montresor

Calciperidinium asymmetricum Versteegh

Cochlodinium polykrikoides Margalef type 1

Cochlodinium polykrikoides Margalef type 2

Diplopelta parva (Abé) Matsuoka

Diplopsalis lenticula Bergh


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Follisdinellum splendidum Versteegh

Gonyaulax group

Gymnodinium impudicum (Fraga & Bravo) G. Hansen & Möestrup

Gymnodinium nolleri Ellegaard & Möestrup

Gymnodinium sp.1

Lingulodinium polyedrum (Stein) Dodge

Melodomuncula berlinensis Versteegh

Nematodinium armatum (Dogiel) Kofoid & Swezy

Oblea rotunda (Lebour) Balech ex Sournia

Pentapharsodinium dalei Indelicato & Loeblich type 1

Pentapharsodinium dalei Indelicato & Loeblich type 2

Pentapharsodinium tyrrhenicum Montresor, Zingone & Marino type 1

Pentapharsodinium tyrrhenicum Montresor, Zingone & Marino type 2

Polykrikos kofoidii Chatton

Polykrikos schwartzii Bütschli

Protoperidinium compressum (Abé) Balech

Protoperidinium conicum (Gran) Balech

Protoperidinium oblongum (Aurivillius) Parke & Dodge

Protoperidinium parthenopes Zingone & Montresor

Protoperidinium steidingerae Balech

Protoperidinium subinerme (Paulsen) Loeblich III

Protoperidinium thorianum (Paulsen) Balech

Protoperidinium sp.1



Pyrophacus horologium Stein

Scrippsiella cf. crystallina Lewis

Scrippsiella lachrymosa Lewis

Scrippsiella ramonii Montresor

Scrippsiella trochoidea (Stein) Loeblich rough type

Scrippsiella trochoidea (Stein) Loeblich smooth type

Scrippsiella trochoidea (Stein) Loeblich large type

Scrippsiella trochoidea (Stein) Loeblich medium type

Scrippsiella trochoidea (Stein) Loeblich small type

Scrippsiella sp.1

Scrippsiella sp.4

Scrippsiella sp.5

Scrippsiella sp.6

Scrippsiella sp.8

Thoracosphaera sp.

Dinophyta sp.2

Dinophyta sp.7

Dinophyta sp.17

Dinophyta sp.26

Dinophyta sp.30

Dinophyta sp.33

Ciliates

Codonella aspera Kofoid & Campbell

Codonella orthoceras Heackel

Codonellopsis monacensis (Rampi) Balech

Codonellopsis schabii (Brandt) Kofoid & Campbell

Epiplocylis undella (Ostenfeld & Schmidt) Jörgensen


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Rabdonella spiralis (Fol) Brandt

Stenosemella ventricosa (Claparède & Lachmann) Jörgensen

Strobilidium sp.

Strombidium cf. acutum (Leegaard) Kahl

Strombidium conicum (Lohman) Wulff

Tintinnopsis beroidea Stein

Tintinnopsis butschlii Kofoid & Campbell

Tintinnopsis campanula Ehrenberg

Tintinnopsis cylindrica Daday

Tintinnopsis radix (Imhof)

Undella claparedei (Entz) Daday

Rotifers

Brachionus plicatilis Müller

Synchaeta sp. spiny type

Synchaeta sp. rough type

Synchaeta sp. mucous type

Crustaceans Cladocerans

Penilia avirostris Dana

Crustaceans Copepods

Acartia clausi/margalefi

Acartia sp.1

Centropages sp.

Paracartia latisetosa (Krizcaguin)

Unidentified

Cyst type 1

Resting Egg 1

Resting Egg 9

Comparison with planktonA study on the plankton composition (Moscatello et al., 2011) was carried out in the same areaon samples collected during the same scientific cruise. In January 2008, the phytoplankton andthe microzooplankton hosted a total of 178 categories. Considering only the main cystproducers (dinoflagellates, and ciliates), the examination of the water column of 16 differentstations gave a total of 76 taxa (48 dinoflagellates, 28 ciliates). The present analysis ofsediments, from just 2 stations, gave a total of 75 taxa among dinoflagellates and ciliates. Thissingular proximity of values, however, did not correspond with the taxa composition of the twocompartments. In fact, 36 cysts were identified as a taxon lacking from the plankton list of thatsame period (January 2008). This number could be higher if we consider only the planktonstations close to the 2 sediment ones.The present data can be compared also with those of Rubino et al (2009) relatively to theanother Albanian gulf. In that study a total of 58 cyst morphotypes were found in 7 differentstations in the gulf of Drin.Also due to nomenclature problems, uncertainty of identification, and difference in examinedperiods, only in very few cases it was possible to ascertain the contemporaneous presence ofthe species in both plankton and benthon compartments.Not rare were the cases of impossibile identification due to the new morphology encountered.Experiments of germination, in such cases, gave the possibility to attribute the cyst to a highlevel taxon at least, as the case of a Strombidium (Ciliofora) whose cyst morphology has beenhere reported for the first time (see Figure 2).

Surface sedimentsThe analysis of surface sediments, i.e. those most interested by events of cyst deposition andcyst resuspension/germination, revealed sharp differences between the two stations. In total 36different cyst types were observed in this first layer (Table 2), 23 produced by dinoflagellates, 6by ciliates, 2 by rotifers, 4 by crustaceans, 1 undetermined. Even with caution due to the few


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available data, Station 40 showed a higher biodiversity, both in terms of number of taxa andvalues of diversity indexes (see Table 3), even if total densities, expressed as cysts g-1 of drysediment were comparable, with 389 ±127 cysts g-1 (average ± s.d.) at Station 40 vs 329 ±123cysts g-1 at Station 45. Assemblages were 58% dissimilar between the two sites (SIMPER,Table 4).

Figure 2. Photographs of a Ciliofora cyst, with two, opposite, papulae (a). Its empty shell (thehatch occurres from one of the two papulae) (b). the germling active stage,

a Strombidium ciliate (c)

The most abundant cyst morphotypes were calcareous cysts produced by species ofCalciodinellaceae family (dinoflagellates). At Station 40 five cyst types of this family accountedfor 95% of the total abundance, while at Station 45 only one cyst type, Scrippsiella trochoideamedium type, was responsible for 99%, confirming the lower equitability at this station.The nMDS ordination (Figure 3, stress=0) with superimposed the hierarchical cluster with a cutat 60% of similarity, clearly reflects a separation between the samples from Station 40 andthose from Station 45. Among these the sample 45b, due to its higher diversity, segregatesmore close to the samples of Station 40.

Vertical distribution into the sedimentAt both the investigated stations, a general decrease of total abundances was observed with thedepth along the sediment core columns. At Station 40 higher values of total abundance anddiversity than Station 45 were registered (Figure 4) even if they were decuplicated at differentdepths. In particular, highest abundances were registered at 2nd and 4th cm, while Shannonindex peaked at 7th and 10th cm. At Station 45 maximum abundance was registered in the top 5cm layers with a the decrease below, which was not mirrored by the diversity that remainedquite constant along the entire core.

a

c

b


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Table 2. Abundance (cysts g-1

dw) of viable resting stages (cysts) observed in surface sedimentsof the two stations in Gulf of Vlora (Albania). The values from the three replicates are reported.

40a 40b 40c 45a 45b 45c

Calciodinellum albatrosianum 20,1 18,3 35,1 0,0 0,0 0,0

Calciodinellum operosum 0,0 0,0 11,7 0,0 0,0 0,0

Gonyaulax group 20,1 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0 59,6

Gymnodinium sp.1 20,1 9,2 0,0 0,0 22,2 0,0

Lingulodinium polyedrum 40,2 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0

Melodomuncula berlinensis 40,2 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0

Oblea rotunda 0,0 0,0 11,7 0,0 0,0 0,0

Pentapharsodinium dalei type 1 20,1 0,0 0,0 0,0 11,1 0,0

Pentapharsodinium tyrrhenicum type 1 40,2 18,3 23,4 0,0 11,1 0,0

Protoperidinium sp.1 0,0 9,2 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0

Protoperidinium sp.5 0,0 0,0 11,7 0,0 11,1 0,0

Scrippsiella ramonii 0,0 9,2 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0

Scrippsiella trochoidea rough type 40,2 18,3 46,8 0,0 0,0 0,0

Scrippsiella trochoidea smooth type 0,0 9,2 11,7 0,0 11,1 0,0

Scrippsiella trochoidea medium type 181,0 73,3 105,4 173,1 111,1 238,4

Scrippsiella trochoidea small type 80,5 64,2 58,5 230,8 0,0 0,0

Scrippsiella sp.1 20,1 0,0 11,7 0,0 11,1 0,0

Scrippsiella sp.4 0,0 9,2 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0

Thoracosphaera sp.1 0,0 0,0 11,7 0,0 11,1 0,0

Dinophyta sp.2 0,0 0,0 23,4 0,0 0,0 0,0

Dinophyta sp.17 0,0 18,3 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0

Dinophyta sp.26 0,0 18,3 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0

Dinophyta sp.33 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0 11,1 0,0

Codonellopsis schabii 1,0 0,0 0,9 0,6 0,3 0,5

Stenosemella ventricosa 0,1 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0

Strobilidium sp. 0,1 0,0 0,1 0,0 0,0 0,0

Strombidium acutum 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0 11,1 0,0

Tintinnopsis cylindrica 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,1 0,1

Undella claparedei 0,1 0,0 0,1 0,0 0,0 0,0

Brachionus plicatilis 0,2 0,0 0,1 0,3 0,0 0,1

Synchaeta sp spiny type 0,3 0,2 0,0 0,2 0,0 0,1

Penilia avirostris 0,0 0,0 0,1 0,0 0,0 0,0

Acartia clausi/margalefi 1,0 0,3 0,7 1,5 0,3 0,8

Acartia sp.1 0,1 0,0 0,1 0,0 0,0 0,0

Centropages sp. 0,3 0,2 0,0 0,2 0,1 0,2

Cyst type 1 0,0 0,0 0,0 57,7 0,0 0,0

The nMDS ordination (Figure 5, stress = 0.12) with superimposed the hierarchical cluster with acut at 70% of similarity, showed a sharp separation between the samples of Station 45 (whichsegregates in a cluster together with the sample 40 1st cm) and the others. The other samplesfrom Station 40 segregate in different clusters, sign of a greater variability at this site.Assemblage structure differed significantly between the two stations across all cm (ANOSIMR=0.655; p=0.001) showing 59% of dissimilarity (SIMPER, Table 5).


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Codonellopsis schabii, Synchaeta sp. and Acartia clausi/margalefi cysts were continuouslyobserved along the whole core layers both at Station 40 and 45. The ciliate was the mostabundant species, with a maximum of 342 ±192 cysts 100g-1 at the 2nd cm of Station 40.

Figure 3. nMDS plot of surface sediment samples collected at Station 40 and Station 45 in VloraBay. Hierarchical clustering has been superimposed with a cut at 60% of similarity

Figure 4. Resting stage densities and Shannon’s index values recorded for each cm layer alongthe sediment cores collected at the two investigated stations in Gulf of Vlora (Albania)


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Germination experimentsAll viable dinoflagellate cyst types observed were isolated and incubated under controlledconditions to obtain germination. Generally a successful excystment allowed us to confirm thecyst-based identification, but in some cases it was possible to discriminate among cysts sharingsimilar morphology. Alexandrium minutum and Scrippsiella sp.1, have a round cyst, with a clearand smooth wall with mucous material attached, while Protoperidinium thorianum andProtoperidinium sp.1 cysts are round-brown and smooth. Finally, Gymnodinium nolleri andScrippsiella sp.4 produce round-brown cysts with a red spot inside. The germination of all thesecyst types allowed us to identify cryptic features in their morphology and/or structure leading toa correct identification.

Figure 5. nMDS plot of samples from each cm of the sediment cores collected at Station 40 andStation 45 in Vlora Bay. Hierarchical clustering has been superimposed with a cut at 70% of

similarity

Cysts ascribed to the paleontological taxa Bicarinellum tricarinelloides and Calciperidiniumasymmetricum germinated confirming they belong to modern taxa. The active stages obtainedwere tentatively identified as scrippsielloid dinoflagellates.An unknown ciliate cyst, with a papula at both extremities, produced an active stage identifiableas belonging to the genus Strombidium (Figure 2).

Table 3. Abundance and diversity indexes calculated for resting stages in surface sediments atthe two stations investigated in Gulf of Vlora. Abundance: the average ± standard deviation fromthe three replicates. Total density: the total of cysts observed in the three replicates from eachstation. S: the number of taxa identified (average ± standard deviation). d: Margalef diversityindex. H’: Shannon diversity index. J’: Pielou equitability index.

abundancecysts g-1 dw

total densitycysts g-1 dw

S d H’ J’

Station 40 389±127 1167 18±2.7 2.9±0.3 2.2±0.1 0.7±0.1

Station 45 329±123 987 11±4.4 1.8±0.9 0.5±0.2 0.5±0.2


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Table 4. Results of the SIMPER analysis for resting stages from surface sediments at Station 40and 45 in Gulf of Vlora.Station 40Averagesimilarity: 56,81

Taxa Av.Abund Av.Sim Sim/SD Contrib% Cum.%Scrippsiellatrochoidea medium type 119,92 21,61 7,45 38,05 38,05Scrippsiellatrochoidea small type 67,73 15,81 6,14 27,83 65,87Scrippsiellatrochoidearoughtype 35,13 6,44 2,78 11,34 77,21Pentapharsodiniumtyrrhenicumtype 1 27,33 5,18 8,96 9,13 86,34Calciodinellumalbatrosianum 24,53 4,94 7,24 8,69 95,03

Station 45Averagesimilarity: 40,37Taxa Av.Abund Av.Sim Sim/SD Contrib% Cum.%Scrippsiellatrochoidea medium type 174,21 40,03 5,87 99,16 99,16

Stations 40 & 45Averagedissimilarity = 58,20

Table 5. Results of the SIMPER analysis for resting stages along the sediment cores collected atStation 40 and 45 in Gulf of Vlora

Station 40Averagesimilarity: 44,16Taxa Av.Abund Av.Sim Sim/SD Contrib% Cum.%Centropagessp. 1,77 8,77 0,86 19,86 19,86Codonellopsisschabii 2,10 7,00 1,31 15,86 35,72Acartiaclausi/margalefi 1,56 6,21 1,22 14,06 49,78Synchaetasp. Spinytype 1,47 5,31 1,10 12,02 61,81Peniliaavirostris 1,14 4,47 0,98 10,13 71,93Brachionusplicatilis 0,96 2,90 0,81 6,56 78,49Stenosemella ventricosa 0,78 1,47 0,55 3,32 81,81Strobilidiumsp. 0,73 1,43 0,51 3,23 85,04Scrippsiellaspp. 0,57 0,95 0,36 2,14 87,18Gonyaulaxspp. 0,54 0,71 0,34 1,60 88,79Strombidiumconicum 0,44 0,69 0,33 1,57 90,36

Station 45Averagesimilarity: 52,61Taxa Av.Abund Av.Sim Sim/SD Contrib% Cum.%Acartiaclausi/margalefi 1,88 12,13 2,08 23,05 23,05Synchaetasp. Spinytype 1,73 10,91 1,59 20,74 43,79Codonellopsisschabii 1,43 6,73 1,12 12,80 56,59Strobilidiumsp. 1,12 6,05 0,92 11,51 68,10Centropagessp. 1,20 6,05 1,02 11,50 79,60Brachionusplicatilis 0,84 2,73 0,63 5,19 84,79Acartia sp.1 0,75 2,57 0,58 4,89 89,67Lingulodiniumpolyedrum 0,74 2,39 0,59 4,54 94,22

Groups 40 & 45Averagedissimilarity = 58,63

Discussion

The total number of resting stages recognized in the present study is particularly high, ifcompared with other studies in the same geographic area. None of the preceeding studies gavea number higher than that here reported, notwithstanding the consideration of a largestgeographic area (the whole North Adriatic, in Rubino et al., 2000), a highest number of samples(157 sediment samples in Moscatello et al., 2004), or a closest geographic position (theAlbanian gulf of Drin, in Rubino et al., 2009). This result is perhaps due to our enhanced ability,


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with time, to identify cysts from different species, but such a result could depend on theconsideration of different depths into the sediments. In fact the other mentioned studiesreported only cysts from the sediment surface, while in the present case the type list grew ofmore than 60% with the addition of cysts buried into the sediments. It has to be noted, however,that the Albanian marine sediments have been already ascertained as the richest in cystcontent if compared with the Italian ones (Rubino et al., 2009).The reported list, as a consequence of its richness, adds 42 morphotypes to the Albanian list,and 13 alternative morphotypes to already known taxa. This clearly demonstrates that thedescription of cyst assemblages in coastal Mediterranean areas, are still far to be exaustive.The finding of high differences in comparison with plankton composition is partially due to theuse, among cysts studies, of a terminology derived from paleontological studies which still waitsto be uniformed after a comparison with the modern terminology. However, at least for sometaxa, it has been well evident how the active stages in the water column assemblages of theVlora bay (Moscatello et al., 2011) differed in numbers and quality from those reported from thebottom sediments in the present study. Just to give an example, and only considering thesurface sediment layer (i.e. the most affected by recent sink and/or resuspension), 4 differentspecies of Scrippsiella (Dinophyta) have been isolated as cysts, but only 2 have been reportedas active stages in the water column from the whole bay. Moreover, in this study 5 different cysttypes of S. trochoidea were identified, differing by size and wall covering. This is an evidence ofgreat intraspecific diversity buti t could be also a sign of the presence of cryptic species, asdiscussed by Montresor et al. (2003).The rotifer Synchaeta was not found in the water column, but its resting eggs were wellrecognizable in the sediments.If the first case confirms that still more is to be known about the morphological variability of cystsproduced by the same species (see Rochon et al., 2009 for Dinophyta; or Belmonte, 1992, forCalanoida), the second is an evident case of a species not detected in the active planktonassemblage but waiting in the sediments for a favourable moment to stay in the water column.Among the novelties, it deserves attention the first report of a Ciliophora cyst with two, opposite,papulae (Figure 2) which has never been reported before.

Vertical distribution into the sedimentWe are not able to correlate cyst abundance along the sediment cores with the age ofdeposition, because only a datation of sediment layers could be helpful in this sense. Anyway,our results showed that the total abundance of cysts in the upper layers was up to 10 timesgreater than in lower layers. At least at Station 40, the sharp decrease of abundance below the5th cm, is however suggestive of a general crisis of the plankton responsible of that production.The Station 40, due to its position, is a candidate for studies on the history of cyst production(and deposition). In fact, its depth (-54 m) collocates it in a depression of the sea bottom whichprobably favourishes the sedimentation of fine particles, thus allowing to consider undisturbedtheir deposition and accumulation. The registered diminution of diversity from lower to upperlayers, in addition, could be interpretated as correlated with the growth of cultural eutrophicationlike in the Tokio bay (Matsuoka, 1999) and the Daja bay (Wang et al., 2004).

Germination experimentsIncubation of encysted forms under controlled conditions to obtain germination is a useful tool toconfirm the identification made with the observation of the cyst, because in some cases, mainlywhen the cyst morphology is too simple, i.e. spherical, without processes and wall structures,very similar cysts are produced by different species. In the present study, in particular, weobserved many dinoflagellate cysts with the same basic morphology, i.e. round body, smoothand brown wall without apparent signs of paratabulation and spines or processes. Theirgermination allowed us to split this basic type into six species at least. Round-brown cysts aretypical of Protoperidinium species (Harland, 1982; Lewis et al., 1984), but we recognized alsoDiplopsalis lenticula, Gymnodinium nolleri and Oblea rotunda, besides three Protoperidiniumspecies. In the same way, it was possible to distinguish between Alexandrium minutum andScrippsiella sp.1, even if their cysts are very similar but with little differences recognizable onlyafter germination.But also the analysis of the cysts allows the identification of species whose active stages areindistinguishable, under the optical microscope, at least. This is the case in this study for the


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Scrippsiella species. All of them have active cells very difficult to be distinguished, while theircysts differ for the type of calcareous covering or the colour or the presence of spines(Gottschling et al., 2005; Gu et al., 2008).A special mention deserves the recovering during the present study of dinoflagellate cystswhose active stage still waits for an identification. They are still classified with a paleontologicalname after their description from Pleistocene to Pliocene sediments in the Mediterranean(Versteegh, 1993). Two types (Bicarinellum tricarinelloides and Calciperidinium asymmetricum)germinated producing a dinoflagellate belonging to the family Calciodinellaceae. Anyway theirfrequent observation in surface sediments also in other Mediterranean areas (Meier & Willems,2003; Rubino et al., 2010a) and in sediment traps too (Rubino et al., 2010b), is a clear sign thatthese species actually live in the water column and need to be better investigated.

References

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Belmonte, G., Castello, P., Piccinni, M.R., Quarta, S., Rubino, F., Geraci, S., Boero, F. (1995). Restingstages in marine sediments off the Italian coast. In “Biology and ecology of shallow coastal waters”(A. Elefteriou, et al. eds). Olsen & Olsen Publ., Fredensborg.: 53-58.

Belmonte, G., Miglietta, A., Rubino, F., Boero, F. (1997). Morphological convergence of resting stagesproduced by planktonic organisms: a review. Hydrobiologia. (335): 159-165.

Belmonte, G., Pirandola, P., Degetto, S., Boero, F. (1999). Abbondanza, Vitalità e distribuzione verticaledi forme di resistenza nei sedimenti del Nord Adriatico. Biologia Marina Mediterranea. (6): 172-178.

Boero, F., Belmonte, G., Fanelli, G., Piraino, S., Rubino, F. (1996). The continuity of living matter and thediscontinuities of its constituents: do plankton and benthos really exist? Trends in Ecology andEvolution. (11): 177-180.

Dahms, H.-U., Li, X., Zhang, G., Quian, P.-Y. (2006). Resting stages of Tortanus forcipatus (Crustacea,Calanoida) in sediments of Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Sciences.(67): 562-568.

Giangrande, A., Geraci, S., Belmonte, G. (1994). Life-cycle and life-history diversity in marineinvertebrates and the implications in community dynamics. Oceanography Marine Biology, AnnualReview. (32): 305-333.

Gottschling, M., Knop, R., Plotner, J., Kirsch, M., Willems, H., Keupp, H. (2005). A molecular phylogenyof Scrippsiella sensu lato (Calciodinellaceae, Dinophyta) with interpretations on morphology anddistribution. European Journal of Phycology. (40): 207-220.

Gu, H., Sun, J., Kooistra, W.H.C.F., Zeng, R. (2008). Phylogenetic position and morphology of thecaeand cysts of Scrippsiella (Dinophyceae) species in the east China Sea. Journal of Phycology. (44):478-494.

Hairston, N.G.Jr., Van Brunt, R.A., Kearns, C.N., Engstrom, D.R. (1995). Age and survivorship ofdiapausing eggs in a sediment egg bank. Ecology. (76): 1706-1711.

Harland, R. (1982). A review of recent and quaternary organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts of the genusProtoperidinium. Paleontology. (25): 369-397.

Jiang, X., Wang, G., Li, S. (2004). Age, distribution and abundance of viable resting eggs of Acartiapacifica (Copepoda: Calanoida) in Xiamen Bay, China. Journal of Experimental Biology andEcology. (312): 89-100.

Lewis, J., Dodge, J.D., Tett, P. (1984). Cyst-theca relationship in some Protoperidinium species(Peridiniales) from Scottish sea lochs. Journal of Micropaleontology. (3): 25-34.

Maiorano, P., Mastrototaro, F., Beqiraj, S., Costantino, G., Kashta, L., Gherardi, M., Sion, L., D’Ambrosio,P., Carlucci, R., D’Onghia, G., Tursi, A. (2011). Biological study of the benthic communities on thesoft bottom of the Vlora Gulf (Albania). Journal of Coastal Research. (58): 95-105.

Marcus, N.H., Boero, F. (1998). Production and plankton community dynamics in coastal aquaticsystems: the importance of benthic pelagic coupling in the forgotten role of life cycles. Limnologyand Oceanography. (43): 763-768.


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Marcus, N.H., Lutz, R., Burnett, W., Cable, P. (1994). Age, viability and vertical distribution of zooplanktonresting eggs from an anoxic basin: evidence of an egg bank. Limnology and Oceanography. (39):154-158.

Matsuoka, K. (1999). Eutrophication process recorded in dinoflagellate cyst assemblage – a case ofYokohama port, Tokyo Bay, Japan. Science of the Total Environment. (231): 17-35.

Meier, K.J.S., Willems, H. (2003). Calcareous dinoflagellate cysts in surface sediments from theMediterranean Sea: distribution patterns and influence of main environmental gradients. MarineMicropaleontology. (48): 321-354.

Montresor, M., Sgrosso, S., Procaccini, G., Kooistra, W.H.C.F. (2003). Intraspecific diversity inScrippsiella trochoidea (Dinophyceae): evidence for cryptic species. Phycologia. (42): 56-70.

Moscatello, S., Rubino, F., Saracino, O.D., Belmonte, G., Boero, F. (2004). Plankton biodiversity aroundthe Salento Pensinsula (South East Italy): an integrated water/sediment approach. Scientia Marina.(68): 85-102.

Moscatello, S., Caroppo C., Hajderi E., Belmonte, G. (2011). Space Distribution of Phyto- andMicrozooplankton in the Vlora Bay (Southern Albania, Mediterranean Sea). Journal of CoastalResearch. (58): 80-94.

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Rochon, A., Lewis, J., Ellegaard, M., Harding, J.C. (2009). The Gonyaulax spinifera (Dinophyceae)“complex”: Perpetuating the paradox? Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology. (155): 52-60.

Rubino, F., Saracino, O.D., Fanelli, G., Belmonte, G., Miglietta, A.M., Boero, F. (1998). Life cycles andpelago-benthos interactions. Biologia Marina Mediterranea. (5): 253-259.

Rubino, F., Belmonte, G., Miglietta, A.M., Geraci, S., Boero, F. (2000). Resting stages of plankton inrecent North Adriatic sediments. Marine Ecology. (21): 263-284.

Rubino, F., Saracino, O.D., Moscatello, S., Belmonte, G. (2009). An integrated water/sediment approachto study plankton (a case study in the southern Adriatic Sea). Journal of Marine Systems. (78): 536-546.

Rubino, F., Belmonte, M., Caroppo, C., Giacobbe, M.G. (2010a). Dinoflagellate resting stages fromsurface sediments of Syracuse Bay (Western Ionian Sea, Mediterranean). Deep Sea Research II.(57): 243-247.

Rubino, F., Monchev, S., Belmonte, M., Slabakova, N., Kamburska, L. (2010b). Resting stages producedby plankton in the Black Sea – Biodiversity and ecological perspective. Rapp. Comm. Int. Mer Médit.(39): 399.

Versteegh, G.J.M. (1993). New Pliocene and Pleistocene calcareous dinoflagellate cysts from southernItaly and Crete. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology. (78): 353-380.

Wang, Z., Matsuoka, K., Qi, Y., Chen, J., Lu S. (2004). Dinoflagellate cyst records in recent sedimentsfrom Daya Bay, South China Sea. Phycological Research. (52): 396-407.


Proceedings48

MESOZOOPLANKTON COMPOSITION AND VARIABILITY IN THEGULF OF VLORA (ALBANIA)

1Salvatore Moscatello, 2Edmond Hajdëri, 1Francesco Denitto, 3M. Licciano,1Irene Vaglio, *1Genuario Belmonte

1Lab. of Zoogeography and Fauna, CoNISMa U.O. Lecce, DiSTeBA University of the Salento,

73100 Lecce, Italy.2Kompleski Spitalor Universitar "Zoja e Keshillmit Te Mire", Rruga e Durresit, Tirane, Albania.

3Lab. of Systematic Zoology, CoNISMa U.O. Lecce, DiSTeBA University of the Salento,

73100 Lecce, Italy.*E-mail [email protected]

Abstract

Mesozooplankton was collected during two cruises in the Bay of Vlora (Albania), in May 2007 andJanuary 2008, respectively. A total of 64 samples were analysed, from 16 sampling points. A total of 198categories of mesozooplankton were recognized, and 62 of them were not shared by both periods. Thepresent study offers the first detailed faunal list for a coastal site in Albania, and the record of some rarespecies the Mediterranean Sea (the trachymedusa Geryona, and the hydromedusa Bouganvillia). Aprogressive growth of the confinement grade has been evidenced passing from the external stations tothe most internal ones. The internal area of the Bay was characterized by high abundances of individualscorresponding to a relatively low number of species if compared with the outer stations. The spacecharacterization of the Bay was clearer than those derived from a similar study conducted on micro andphytoplankton. The two seasons appeared sharply separated, and a gradient was evident from innerstations and outer ones in each period, being all the others in the middle. Due to ecological indicators andto the population numbers, a high degree of confinement has not been recognized even in the innerstations. This is probably due to the large water volume present in the Bay (maximum depth, 54 m) whichimpedes the stressing action of daily condition-variability typical of confined coastal areas. Such a highlevel of stability, coupled with the relatively high biodiversity encountered, encourages actions ofprotection for the Bay of Vlora.

Keywords: Mesozooplankton, Gulf of Vlore, South-East Europe, Mediterranean Sea, Biodiversity,Seasonality, Space distribution.

Introduction

Coastal marine environments (transitional waters, harbours, marine bays), are characterized bya high variability if compared with open sea ones (Amanieu & Lasserre, 1982; Badosa et al.,2007; Elliott & Quintino, 2007). A significant decrease in species richness and a progressivedemographic increase of populations is observed in the zooplankton concurrently with theincrease of the confinement grade. In comparison with the open sea, an additional rule alsowants a reduction of the body size of specimens in confined waters (Blackburn & Gaston, 1994;Uye, 1994; Belmonte & Cavallo, 1997). The environmental variability is probably the cause of ashortage of life cycles, furthermore they can be interrupted with production of resting stages inmany species (Giangrande et al., 1994; Rubino et al., 1998; Moscatello & Belmonte, 2004).Zooplankton of Mediterranean bays are among the best studied of the world seas. It containsabundant and well reliable indicators of the season and of the confinement grade (sensuGuelorget & Perthuisot, 1992). In general, the zooplankton of Mediterranean bays isassimilated with that of brackish/confined waters: it shows biomass peaks one or more times inthe period from the Spring to the Autumn, mainly due to small-sized individuals and/or speciesin the warmest months (Calbet et al., 2001; Lam-Hoai & Rougier, 2001). Apart for meroplanktoncomponents, generally seasonal and well represented in coastal areas all over the world,among the holoplankton the copepods of the family Acartiidae are typically considered asindicators of the most coastal, sheltered areas (Razouls, 1995).The Gulf of Vlora, a bay in the center of the Mediterranean Region, is considered as affected byLevantine surface currents which should maintain it sensibly different from the front faced Italiancoast of the Otranto Channel, affected by Northerly Adriatic surface currents (Robinson et al.,2001). The Gulf of Vlora is probably one of the less studied bays of all the Mediterranean Sea.The poorness of the economy in the last 40 years, the presence of one side, the Karaburun


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peninsula, completely deprived of human settlements, and the forbidden use of any kind ofmotor ships and rubber boats in the last 6 years, allowed the re-storing of a nearly pristinesituation without equals in the rest of the Mediterranean Bays.The entire coastal environment of Albania is one of the less studied of the Mediterranean.Although Italy showed cultural and political interest on Albania at the beginning of the XXcentury, studies of the recent oceanographic Italian community did not produce reliable data.Cruises II and VII of the Austro-Italian expedition (1909-1911) produced a total list of 58copepod species for Albanian waters (Grandori, 1913). In the second half of the XX century,only studies on adjacent areas can be used as a comparison. Hure and Scotto di Carlo (1968)considering a South Dalmatian bay, represented a good reference point to compare thecopepod fauna of relatively limited areas (the Gulf of Naples, in the Tyrrhenian Sea, with thecoastal South Adriatic of the former Yugoslavia). The study reported a list of 145 copepodspecies and still represents a reference for the geographic area (South Adriatic Sea). The firststudy concerning the entire zooplankton assemblage, in bays of the South Adriatic (however notAlbanian), was produced by Gamulin (1979) on samples collected from 1947 to 1952. Thezooplankton of the Dubrovnik bay of that study listed 149 taxa of 15 different Phyla.Successively, Regner (1985) with a 5 year program of sample collection, ascertained thepresence of 53 copepod species in the Kastela bay (South Dalmatia) zooplankton, each datebeing characterized by 9 to 21 species (corresponding to summer and winter respectively). Ofthe total species, only 25 were not found in all the 5 years studied, thus testifying the highstructural variability of that community.In the study of Lucic and Onofri (1990), Maliston Bay (Dalmatia) resulted heavily dominated bycopepods (upto 90% of total numbers) assorted according 37 different species.Studies conducted in the Italian part of the south Adriatic Sea reported a well diversifiedmesozooplankton community. Detailed seasonal and space investigations on zooplanktonbiomass distribution and composition (Marano, et al., 1989; Hajdëri & Casavola, 2001) and thequanti-qualitative seasonal distribution of Cladocera (Hajdëri et al., 1993) and Copepods(Hajdëri, 1998) communities were undertaken in coastal and open epipelagic waters of theSouth Adriatic Sea. The Copepod community resulted similar to that of Eastern Mediterraneanwaters. Among the 93 Copepod species found, 11 were reported for the first time in the AdriaticSea. An evident decline of population abundance was observed in the coastal-open watersdirection between 100 and 200 m bathymetries and from northern to southern transects. On thecontrary, the species abundance and the community diversity increased from north to south andin coastal-open waters direction.Of a certain interest can be considered the situation of the Otranto Channel where 64 Copepodspecies were reported during a whole year (Hajdëri et al., 1994), and the increase of copepoddiversity and of zooplankton biomass was observed in the coastal-open water direction.Relevant seasonal differences in the community composition were found, due to the variabilityof the hydrological features.In Bari coastal waters (Italian South Adriatic), just out of the harbour, a rich zooplanktoncommunity (if compared with those of north and central Adriatic) has been reported (Hajdëri &Marano, 1998) dominated by Copepods (34 species representing the 63% of total individuals)with both coastal and neritic species.Further indications on the composition of bay zooplankton in the Central Mediterranean Sea,could be derived from the study of Belmonte et al., (2001) carried out in the Taranto Sea system(Northern Ionian Sea). Ecological characteristics deriving by this study confirm that the numberof taxa and their medium body sizes decrease with the increase of the confinement grade. Onthe contrary, the number of individuals and the demographic variability increase in accordancewith the confinement grade.An attempt to study the zooplankton of the Gulf of Vlore has been just proposed as a test byMoscatello and Belmonte (2006) for the elaboration of a sampling plan which was successivelyelaborated for the present work. Successively, a study on the phyto and micro-zooplankton ofthe Gulf of Vlore has been realized by Belmonte et al. (2011) which could represent a referencepoint for the discussion of the seasonality and the space distribution of the plankton communitybased on the data here presented. Anyhow, the present is the first detailed report on themesozooplankton community of the Vlora bay.


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Material and methods

Meso-zooplankton was collected during two 7-days scientific cruises conducted in the Gulf ofVlora (Albania) with the oceanographic ship Universitatis (CoNISMa), in May-June (Spring)2007 and January (Winter) 2008 respectively.Samples were collected at 18 different stations arranged according 4 W-E transects (A, B, C, D)in the Gulf of Vlora, and one N-S transect (G) in the mezocanal (Figure 1). Stations have beenselected to obtain at least 3 sampling stations within each of the 4 areas that a preliminary study(Moscatello and Belmonte, 2006) proposed to be present in the Gulf. Samples were collectedwith a plankton net WP2 (mouth diameter, 54 cm) towed obliquely from the bottom up to thesurface, at each station. A flow-metre positioned at the net mouth allowed to measure the watervolume which passed throughout the net at each sample collection. Each sample was the resultof a water filtration ranging from 0.5 to 13.1 m3 (see Table 1). To avoid errors due to thesunlight affection on the vertical distribution of plankton in the water column, each day thesampling has been conducted from the sunset (6.30 p.m. in Spring; 4.00 p.m. in Winter)onward. To allow a reliable statistical analysis of data, in each station two samples (replicates)have been collected. All the zooplankton samples were fixed in situ with 1.6% formaldehydesolution in original sea water.

Figure 1. Map showing the position of the 18 sampling stations aligned along 5 transects (A, B, C,D, G) in the Gulf of Vlore. Station D5 was not sampled in May 2007, and Station B3 was not

sampled in January 2008.


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Table 1. Bay of Vlora, list of the sampling stations, with the main characteristics relative to the twosampling periods.

station date latitude longitude depth temper. salinity diss.O2filtered

vol.

Nord East m °C ppt ppt cube m

A1 5/26/2007 40°19'657 19°25'864 1.00 22.57 37.23 7.15 0,5-0,9

23.00 18.19 38.12 7.67

1/21/2008 40°19'822 19°25'824 1.00 14.68 38.34 7.70 4,2-5,0

32.00 14.55 38.34 7.64

A2 5/26/2007 40°19'999 19°27'051 1.00 23.73 36.40 6.80 0,2-0,8

24.00 17.42 37.90 7.54

1/21/2008 40°19'833 19°27'056 1.00 14.38 38.19 7.72 2,5-3,4

15.00 14.48 38.33 7.70

A3 5/26/2007 40°20'801 19°27'935 1.00 23.37 37.10 6.80 3,5-9,6

31.00 15.54 38.26 7.57

1/21/2008 40°20'766 19°28'227 1.00 14.57 38.22 7.71 1,2-1,6

15.00 14.51 38.32 7.68

B1 5/28/2007 40°21'527 19°24'998 1.00 19.72 37.98 8.60 7,6-9,2

51.80 15.03 38.42 6.97

1/21/2008 40°21'552 19°25'003 1.00 14.72 38.38 7.60 6,3-9,5

52.00 13.98 38.25 7.45

B2 5/28/2007 40°21'823 19°26'371 1.00 20.19 37.99 8.50 9,1-10,2

51.92 15.02 38.43 6.84

1/21/2008 40°21'821 19°26'332 1.00 14.38 38.28 7.86 5,9-10,4

52.00 13.99 38.25 7.51

B3 5/31/2007 40°22'014 19°27'362 1.00 20.46 37.72 6.80 5,9-8,0

46.00 15.07 38.40 6.73

\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \

B4 5/28/2007 40°22'283 19°28'472 1.00 22.20 37.35 6.94 1,7-2,2

13.44 18.92 38.02 7.78

1/21/2008 40°22'208 19°28'416 1.00 14.22 38.13 7.76 1,0-1,9

16.00 14.41 38.30 7.72

C2 5/28/2007 40°23'735 19°24'934 1.00 20.39 37.90 6.90 9,9-12,7

53.00 14.90 38.45 7.05

1/20/2008 40°23'815 19°24'884 1.00 14.09 38.23 7.74 6,7-10,6

53.00 10.01 38.26 7.55

C3 5/29/2007 40°24'053 19°26'016 1.00 20.91 37.90 6.80 7,5-10,0

54.07 15.00 38.44 6.85

1/20/2008 40°24'005 19°25'994 1.00 14.06 38.24 7.70 7,1-9,3

54.00 14.07 38.27 7.65

C4 5/28/2007 40°24'400 19°27'245 1.00 20.77 37.70 6.9011,0-13,1

53.02 15.01 38.36 7.11

1/20/2008 40°24'355 19°27'144 1.00 14.04 38.15 7.72 6,7-10,6

53.00 14.05 38.26 7.64

D1 5/29/2007 40°25'280 19°21'926 1.00 20.73 37.00 7.60 7,4-9,9

46.00 15.01 38.42 6.90

1/19/2008 40°25'282 19°22'014 1.00 14.90 38.40 7.57 3,6-4,9

46.00 14.06 38.26 7.58

D2 5/29/2007 40°25'798 19°23'391 1.00 21.15 37.32 4.50 6,1-7,7

44.88 15.19 38.31 7.27

1/19/2008 40°25'732 19°23'241 1.00 14.38 38.31 7.69 6,3-7,7

45.00 14.05 38.26 7.62

D3 5/29/2007 40°26'050 19°24'606 1.00 21.25 37.58 6.83 6,9-8,8


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44.66 15.50 38.30 7.53

1/19/2008 40°26'039 19°24'578 1.00 14.23 38.28 7.72 2,6-5,4

45.00 14.14 38.29 7.67

D4 5/29/2007 40°26'615 19°26'097 1.00 21.13 37.69 6.72 6,7-7,8

41.00 16.10 38.27 7.58

1/19/2008 40°26'630 19°26'010 1.00 13.91 38.16 7.78 4,2-9,6

42.00 14.09 38.27 7.68

D5 \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \

1/19/2008 40°27'139 19°27'525 1.00 13.91 38.08 7.84 4,3-5,4

24.70 13.95 38.21 7.17

G1 5/30/2007 40°26'567 19°18'156 1.00 21.01 37.86 6.77 8,5-9,6

60.00 15.02 38.44 7.23

1/20/2008 40°26'479 19°18'281 1.00 15.17 38.44 7.46 4,7-7,0

60.00 14.30 38.30 7.58

G2 5/30/2007 40°26'616 19°17'632 1.00 20.90 37.95 6.77 6,4-9,3

50.00 15.15 38.45 7.29

1/20/2008 40°26'990 19°18'009 1.00 15.25 38.44 7.50 4,1-6,0

51.00 14.76 38.40 7.55

G3 5/30/2007 40°27'357 19°19'044 1.00 21.17 37.65 6.73 3,4-4,5

33.00 15.33 38.35 7.25

1/20/2008 40°27'597 19°18'759 1.00 15.26 38.43 7.54 9,1-10,6

49.00 14.84 38.41 7.52

At each station, a vertical profile of temperature and salinity of the water has been obtained by amultiparametric probe (see data in Mangoni et al., 2011).In the laboratory, samples were analysed under a compound microscope at 50x magnification.Three aliquots of 8-10 cc of well mixed samples were analysed to count specimens according totaxa and/or developmental categories (larvae and juvenes were often not classifiable at thespecies level as the adults). The remaining part of each sample has been analysed to searchrare species and to check numerical data of less abundant categories. Data were presented asnumber of individuals per cube metre (indiv. m-3)A particular attention has been dedicated to the taxa identification due to the fact that thepresent collection is the first one which describes the zooplankton of the Gulf of Vlora. In detail,Copepoda (adults, nauplii, and juvenes), Hydrozoa (medusae), and Polychaeta (mostly larvae)have been recognized at the lowest taxonomic level possible, allowing the proposal for thecreation of a check list of zooplankton species of the Albanian marine fauna.The differences in meso-zooplankton abundance, species richness (Margalef), and diversity(Pielou’s evenness), among sampling stations were tested by a univariate analysis of diversityindices routine in PRIMER (Plymouth Routines In Multivariate Ecological Research) version 6βR6 (PRIMER-E) (Clarke & Warwick, 1994).The significance of both temporal and spatial variation of meso-zooplankton composition wastested using a Two-Way crossed Analysis of Similarities for replicated data (ANOSIM2) routinein PRIMER version 6β R6 (PRIMER-E) (Clarke & Warwick, 1994). “Transect” and “Season”were considered as fixed orthogonal factors.For multivariate analyses, only 113 taxa have been considered (those who were quicklyrecognizable at the microscope and did not slow the count procedure). Stations B3 and D5 weresampled in only one period (May 2007 and January 2008, respectively). Their data were usedfor the composition of the faunal list, but not for the multivariate analysis. Data have beenorganized in a 113 (variables, taxa) x 32 (16 x 2 sampling stations) matrix. The absoluteabundance of each taxon was fourth root transformed, to severely down-weight the importanceof numerically dominant species. The method of non-parametric ordering (MDS) applied to thematrix of similarities allowed to graphically describe the differences in the community structuredefined among different transects and over time. Stress value were shown for obtained MDSplots to indicate the goodness of representation of differences among samples (Clarke, 1993). A“Two-Way” similarity percentage procedure (PRIMER SIMPER routine, Clarke, 1993) was used


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in order to obtain the percentage contribution that each taxon provided to Bray-Curtis similaritiesmeasures. A cut-off criterion was applied to allow the identification of the subset of specieswhose cumulative percentage contribution reached 40% of the similarity value.

Results

– Abiotic featuresFor a detail on the abiotic features of the bay, we refer directly to Mangoni et al., (2011), whoworked onboard with us during the same cruises. Table 1 shows just the values at theextremities of the water column (bottom and surface) at each station. It is evident how the Eastside of the bay is affected by freshwater inputs (stratified on the surface) more than the Westside (see Salinity values). As regarding the temperature, the water column was clearly stratifiedin Spring 2007 with up to 7°C of difference among bottom and surface values. This stratificationwas completely absent in Winter 2008.

– ZooplanktonA total of 64 samples were collected during the two cruises (Spring 2007, Winter 2008) at 16sampling stations (D5 was not interested by May cruise, B3 was not interested by Januarycruise). A total of 198 categories of mesozooplankton were recognized (104 at level of genus orspecies). The most representative taxa were Copepoda (101 categories, 74 at the genus-species level, on a total of 124 Crustacea), Cnidaria (23 categories), and Polychaeta (19). Thespecies composition revealed the presence of some rare elements for the Mediterranean fauna,as the trachymedusa Geryonia sp. (Fig. 2a) and the hydromedusa Buganvillea nana, a specieswhich has been recently described by Denitto et al., (2007) from the Salento peninsula (SouthEast Italy) (Figure 2b).The two periods under study shared 136 categories of the 198 recorded. The 62 unsharedcategories were divided in 21 exclusive of May 2007, and 41 exclusive of January 2008. Only10 categories were ubiquitous being present at all the stations in both the periods. Among these10 categories, apart 8 which were of high level taxa (hence heterogeneously composed), only 2species were ubiquitous of both periods: Oikopleura sp. (Larvacea) and Farranula rostrata(Corycaeidae) (Table 2).From the abundances point of view (Table 3), station A2 and D5 were the richest (33,073 indivm-3, Spring 2007, and 19,651 indiv m-3, Winter 2008, respectively,) mainly due to the dominanceof Calanoida Copepoda (Acartia, Clausocalanus and Paracalanus genera).The jelly plankton was represented by Siphonophora and Appendicularia.

a b

Figure 2. a) Geryonia sp. and detail of the capsule and dardo of a neurythelic macrobasicnematocyst easily detectable in clusters on tentacles which appear moniliform. Bar, 1 mm.

(drawing of F. Denitto). b) Bougainvillia nana adult. (redrawn from Denitto et al., 2007).


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Table 2. Bay of Vlora, list of the meso-zooplankton categories found in samples collected inthe two periods considered (Spring 2007, and Winter 2008). Numbers indicate, for eachperiod, the presence frequency (number of stations with that taxon) being the number ofsampling stations 17 for each period.

2007 2008 2007 2008taxa May Jan taxa May Jan

Noctiluca sp. 0 1 Harpacticoida copepodid undet. 10 3Globigerina sp. 16 16 Harpacticoida nauplii undet. 1 9Foraminifera undet. 2 0 Clitemnestra rostrata 12 10Radiolaria undet. 14 17 Euterpina acutifrons 15 16Tintinnina undet. 11 1 Macrosetella sp. 0 1Cnidaria planula 1 3 Microsetyella-Euterpina nauplii 1 0Anthomedusae actinula 5 3 Longipediidae nauplii undet. 15 4Hydromedusae undet. 5 3 Microsetella rosea 4 7Obelia sp. 4 15 Pachos sp. 0 1Liriope sp. 0 13 Sapphirina sp. 4 5Leptomedusae undet. 0 3 Scolecitrix bradyi 0 1Clytia sp. 1 0 Monstrilloida copepodi undet. 1 0Anthomedusae undet. 5 8 Anomalocera sp. 1 0Hydractinia sp. 1 2 Acartiidae copepodid undet. 17 16Eutima sp. 1 1 Acartiidae nauplii undet. 5 0Bouganvillia nana 0 2 Acartia clausi 17 12Geryonia sp. 0 1 Acardtia danae 0 2Cunina sp. 0 2 Acartia negligens 4 14Dipurena gemmata 12 0 Acartia margalefi 1 1Janiopsis costata 1 0 Calanus sp. 12 10Pandeidae undet. 1 1 Calanidae nauplii undet. 14 11Siphonophora undet. 7 5 Calanus helgolandicus 1 2Siphonophora Prayidae 6 16 Calanoida copepodid undet. 9 13Siphonophora Abyliidae 3 6 Calanoida nauplii undet. 1 6Siphonophora Diphyidae 15 16 Calocalanidae copepodid undet. 17 17Siphonophora Clausophyidae 0 4 Calocalanus contractus 0 3Siphonophora Agalmatidae 2 0 Calocalanus elongatus 0 5Scyphozoa ephyra 2 0 Calocalanus pavo 2 5Ctenofora cidippus 13 5 Calocalanus plumulosus 1 3Ctenofora undet. 0 1 Calocalanus styliremis 13 14Nemertea pilidium 13 13 Calocalanus tenuis 0 1Nematoda undet. 2 0 Candaciidae copepodid undet. 5 12Turbellaria undet. 0 1 Candacia ornata 0 1Polyclada Muller larva 2 2 Candacia giesbrechti 0 1Polychaeta larva undet. 3 1 Centropagidae copepodid undet. 17 5Alciopidae larvae 3 9 Centropages kroyeri 17 2Aphroditidae larvae 0 1 Centropages ponticus 3 0Chrysopetalidae larvae 0 1 Centropages typicus 16 11Goniadidae larvae 0 1 Clausocalanus copepodi undet. 17 16Hesionidae larvae 0 1 Clausocalanus arcuicornis 0 6Ladice sp. 0 1 Clausocalanus furcatus 1 13Magelona sp. 11 11 Clausocalanus joboei 3 1Maldanidae larvae 0 10 Clausocalanus lividus 0 7Orbiniidae larvae 1 3 Clausocalanus paululus 6 15Oweniidae mitraria 3 8 Clausocalanus pergens 1 0Pectinaridae larvae 2 0 Ctenocalanus sp. 17 9Phylliroe bucefala 0 1 Ctenocalanus vanus 8 5Phyllodocidae larvae 7 12 Diaixis sp. 14 10Poecilochaetus sp. 0 1 Eucalanus attenuatus 0 1Sabellidae larvae 5 10 Euchaetidae copepodid undet. 0 2Spionidae larva 15 17 Isias clavipes 17 6Terebellidae larvae 4 5 Labidocera wollastoni 4 2


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Tomopteridae undet. 0 5 Labidocera-Centropages nauplii 9 1Foronida actinotrocha 11 10 Lucicutia flavicornis 6 15Bryozoa cyphonautes 16 10 Mecinocera clausi 16 16Chaetognatha undet. 17 17 Mesocalanus tenuicornis 2 1Gastropoda veliger 17 17 Metacalanus sp. 1 0Bivalvia veliger 17 17 Nannocalanus minor 2 2Tecosomata undet. 17 16 Neocalanus robustior 0 1Creseis sp. 1 1 Paracalanus aculeatus 1 0Echinodermata dipleurula 1 0 Paracalanus denudatus 3 5Asteroidea bipinnaria 0 8 Paracalanus nanus 9 14Echinoidea pluteus 11 13 Paracalanus parvus 16 2Ophiuroidea pluteus 2 11 Paracalanus copepodid undet. 17 17Holothuroidea auricularia 14 17 Paracartia latisetosa 1 0Oikopleura sp. 17 17 Pleuromamma gracilis 0 6Fritillaria sp. 11 17 Pontellidae copepodid undet. 6 2Fritillaria pellucida 1 16 Pontellidae-Rhincalanidae nauplii 11 7Ascidiacea larva 0 3 Temora stylifera 13 17Thaliacea undet. 11 9 Temora longicornis 2 0Branchiostoma lanceolatum 0 1 Temoridae copepod undet. 3 2Mormonilla sp. 0 1 Temoridae nauplii 3 4Lubbockia squillimana 0 10 Penilia avirostris 17 14Oithonidae copepodid undet. 17 17 Podon polyphemoides 16 7Oithonidae nauplii 11 9 Podon leuckartii 0 4Oithona nana 17 16 Evadne nordmanni 5 0Oithona plumifera 13 14 Evadne spinifera 15 2Oithona similis 17 16 Pseudevadne tergestina 1 0Oncaeidae copepodid undet. 17 17 Sergestidae elaphocaris 3 6Oncaea dentipes 1 2 Decapoda Brachyura zoea 16 15Oncaea media 12 16 Decapoda Brachyura megalopa 2 4Oncaea mediterranea 7 5 Decapoda Anomura zoea 2 0Oncaea minuta 17 16 Decapoda Natantia zoea 16 15Oncaea obscura 2 7 Euphausiacea nauplius 0 1Oncaea subtilis 5 2 Euphausiacea zoea 4 8Oncaea venusta 0 2 Ostracoda undet. 11 17Copilia quadrata 5 4 Cirripedia balanomorpha nauplius 3 0Trichonia sp. 6 5 Cirripedia lepadomorpha nauplius 13 1Corycaeidae copepodid undet. 17 17 Cirripedia cypris 1 0Corycaeidae nauplius 2 2 Mysidacea undet. 7 12Agetus typicus 7 1 Amphipoda Caprellidae undet. 1 1Agetus flaccus 3 10 Amphipoda Hyperiidae undet. 1 2Agetus limbatus 2 0 Amphipoda alii 7 2Ditrichocorycaeus anglicus 16 12 Isopoda undet. 6 10Farranula rostrata 17 17 Nebaliacea undet. 1 1Onycocorycaeus giesbrechti 7 4 Pisces eggs 12 13Onycocorycaeus latus 5 2 Pisces larva 16 16Onycocorycaeus ovalis 6 4 Engraulis egg 6 1Urocorycaeus furcifer 3 4Cyclopoida undet. 0 1 totale taxa 156 173

In Spring 2007 the highest value of species richness (d = 8.942, Margalef index ofcommunity diversity) was recorded at station G3 (Mezocanal), whereas the lowest onewas at station D3 (d = 5.106). In Winter 2008 the species richness showed valuesincreasing with distance from the inhabited coast: the highest value (d = 6.654) was at D2station, whereas the lowest one was in C4 station (d = 4.997).The ANOSIM showed overall significant differences among transects (R = 0.327, p < 0.01). Theanalysis showed highly significant differences among the stations proper of the Gulf (A, B andC) and those in the Mezokanal Strait (transect G). Between the transects A and B and betweenC and D (see Table 5) there were no significant differences. These patterns are evident from


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graphic inspection of MDS plot where it is possible to identify two distinct areas in the Gulf (oneinternal area - transect A - and one intermediate area where the differences between transectsB, C and D are less marked) and one area (transect G), which distinguishes itself evidently forits position closer to the open sea. The ANOSIM showed highly significant differences in themesozooplankton populations of the two different sampling cruises (R = 0.95, p < 0.001) asillustrated by MDS plot.

b

d

ca

fe

Figure 3. Some examples of abundance distribution for single species in the mesozooplankton ofthe Gulf of Vlore. a Diaixis sp. (Crustacea, Copepoda, Calanoida), during Spring, linked to the lessconfined situations; b Lucicutia flavicornis, during Spring, more abundant in the Gulf; c Oithona

nana (Crustecea, Copepoda, Cyclopoida), during Spring, widespread in the study area; dHolothuroidea auricularia, during Winter, exclusive of the only Gulf waters; e Penilia avirostris

(Crustacea, Cladocera), during Spring, linked to the Gulf; f Obelia sp. (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa), duringWinter, linked to the Gulf coastal waters.

The SIMPER procedure associated with MDS plot of all samples identified the speciesresponsible for the biotic characterization of each sampling season . The categories responsiblefor the average dissimilarity among mesozooplankton assemblages of spring 2007 were Acartiaclausi, Acartiidae, and Centropagidae copepodids (all belonging to Crustacea Copepoda),together with the cladocerans Penilia avirostris and Evadne spinifera. The average dissimilarityamong assemblages during winter 2008 was represented by Holothuroidea auricularia, theappendicularia Fritillaria pellucida, the copepod Ctenocalanus sp., undetermined stages ofCalanoida, and Oncaea minuta.

Discussion

The present report of 198 categories, if merged with the preceding one (Moscatello et al., 2011)on phyto and micro-zooplankton, concludes an important contribution to the knowledge of theMarine plankton diversity for the Albanian coast. The comparison with preceding studies alsoconducted elsewhere on the zooplankton of the same Mediterranean area (South Adriatic –North Ionian seas) suggests that the species richness is noteworthy and well in accordance with


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the affirmation of Hajderi et al., (1998) who showed a species richness increase from North (theAdriatic Sea) towards South (the Ionian Sea).

Group average

G3

8

G4

8

C4

8

A3

8

B4

8

G2

8

C2

8

D1

8

B2

8

C3

8

D3

8

B1

8

D2

8

D4

8

A1

8

A2

8

A2

7

A1

7

A3

7

B4

7

G4

7

D3

7

D4

7

G3

7

D1

7

G2

7

B2

7

C3

7

D2

7

B1

7

C2

7

C4

7

Samples

100

90

80

70

60

50S

imila

rity

Transform: Fourth root

Resemblance: S17 Bray Curtis similarity



SpaceABCDG

2D Stress: 0,14



Time12

2D Stress: 0,14

Figure 4. Nonparametric multidimensional scaling representation of mesozooplankton samplescollected in Spring (May-June) 2007 (I CISM cruise – Time 1) and Winter (January) 2008 (II CISM

cruise – Time 2), with superimposed cluster at similarity level of 40%. A, B, C, D, G representtransects comprising 18 sampling stations, from inner bay to open sea.

In fact, even if we consider only copepods (however they are the most important component ofthe zooplankton) the number of species in the present study is higher than that reported fromthe bays of Dubrovnik (Gamulin, 1979), Kastela (Regner, 1985), and Maliston (Lucic & Onofri,


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2004), along the South Dalmatian coast of the Adriatic Sea. The higher numbers recorded fromthe Taranto Seas (North Ionian tip) from Vaglio (unpublished data) is in accordance with a moreintense sampling effort (504 samples over 2 years) in that study. If compared with the study ofthe same Gulf bottoms (Maiorano et al., 2011), the Vlora plankton compartment appearsinterestingly rich of species, although the monotonous composition of the bottom (mud) and thefact that the study of the benthos relied on only one season could explain its relative speciespoorness. More in detail it appears interesting a comparison among the meroplankton herereported and information available for the benthos composition. The large dominance ofauricularia larvae (Holothuroidea) is easily connectable with the dominant Labidoplax populationof all the bottom muds of the Gulf. On the other side, the richness of meroplanktonic Hydrozoa(17 taxa) into the plankton, has not a comparable alternative in the benthos (2 taxa) thusallowing to admit a role of the narrow coastal rocky zone in the propagule (medusae) injectioninto the plankton. The comparison among meroplanktonic Polychaeta (16 taxa, mostly families)with benthic ones (53 taxa, belonging to 24 different families) has to be carried out carefully dueto the different level of identification. This notwithstanding, at least in 6 cases (Magelona sp.,Alciopidae, Chrysopetalidae, Goniadidae, Hesionidae, and Oweniidae larvae) here reported, ithas not been found any correspondence with the benthic fauna of Maiorano et al (2011),probably due to the presence of rocky bottom species which were not considered by thereported study.

Table 3. Global test for differences between space groups (across all time groups). Samplestatistic (Global R): 0,328; Significance level of sample statistic: 0,1%Number of permutations: 999 (Random sample from a large number); Number of permutedstatistics greater than or equal to Global R: 0. In red, the significant differences (p<0,01).

Pairwise Tests

R Significance Possible Actual NumberGroups Statistic Level % Permutations Permutations ObservedA, B 0,093 34 100 100 34A, C 0,278 4 100 100 4A, D 0,5 0,1 1225 999 0A, G 0,574 1 100 100 1B, C 0,037 46 100 100 46B, D 0,213 4 1225 999 39B, G 0,648 1 100 100 1C, D -0,056 66,4 1225 999 663C, G 0,63 1 100 100 1D, G 0,417 2,2 1225 999 21

This result encourages to refine the knowledge (with a more prolonged and timely frequentsampling) also to sustain the necessity to manage the marine environment of the Gulf of Vlore,where tourism, fishery and protection policies are asking data to work on.

The statistical comparison of the stations allows us to distinctly separate the Mezocanal area(stations G) from all the Gulf (stations A, B, C, D). The presence of some ecological indicators(e.g. Acartia clausi, Oithona nana, Oikopleura sp.) testifies for a not high level of confinement ofthe Gulf. Some copepods (e.g., Acartia margalefi, Paracartia latisetosa) typical of confined,more internal, brackish waters (see Belmonte et al., 2009), were reported only episodically andnever in high numbers in the Gulf of Vlore. We have to consider that samplings were conductedwith a research vessel (the oceanographic ship Universitatis) hence they were obliged to comefrom sites with an important depth (10 m at least). The confinement, on the contrary, isenhanced by shallowness of waters, and their relative isolation from the neighboring sea (as inlagoons and coastal lakes). As a consequence, the present study did not care with such a kindof environmental situation. To tell the truth, such shallow confined waters are not availableand/or well identifiable in the Gulf of Vlore, where the depth of -10 m is very close to the coastin each point. The Gulf di per se could be an isolated area from the neighboring sea, but itslarge water volume (maximum depth, -54 m) probably is enough to avoid the stressing


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variations of conditions (salinity and temperature, overall), which typically occur in confinedwaters.A certain difference is evident between the two opposite coasts of the Gulf. In the clusterizationis easy to note as A3 B4 C4 (the East coast of the Gulf) group together, and well distinct fromthe group C2, D1, G2 (the West coast of the Gulf). This situation is easily referable to theanthropization of the East coast of the Gulf where the beach tourism asked the building of 50hotels along 14 km of coastline, with severe consequences on the growth of sedimentation ratealong the submerged coast (Fraschetti et al., 2011). The Karaburun coast, on the contrary, hasbeen affected only by 2 military settlements until 1989, and nothing else from that date, whenthey were completely abandoned.

Acknowledgments

The present study has been funded by INTERREG III Italy-Albania Programme in theframework of CISM Project (Technical Assistance for Establishing and Management of anInternational Center for Marine Studies in Albania). The authors thank the crew of R/VUniversitatis (CoNISMa) for the valuable field assistance.

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Moscatello, S., Belmonte, G. (2006). A preliminary plan for the study of zooplankton in the Gulf of Vlorë(Albania). Thalassia Salentina. (29): 61-68.

Moscatello, S., Caroppo, C., Hajdëri, E., Belmonte, G. (2011). Space distribution of phyto- and micro-zooplankton in the Vlora Bay (Southern Albania, Mediterranean Sea). Journal of Coastal Research,Special Issue. (58): 80-94.

Razouls, C. (1995). Répartition géographique chez les copépodes calanoïdes. NeocopepodaGymnoplea Calanoida. Ann. Institut. Océanogr. (71): 81–404.

Regner, S. (1985). Seasonal and Multiannual dynamics of copepods in the middle Adriatic. ActaAdriatica. 26 (2): 11-99.

Robinson, A.R., Leslie, W.G., Theocharis, A., Lascaratos, A. (2001). Mediterranean Sea circulation. In:Encyclopedia of Oceanic Sciences, Academic Press.: 1689–1706

Rubino, F., Saracino, D.O., Fanelli, G., Belmonte, G., Miglietta, A.M., Boero, F. (1998). Life cycles andpelago-benthos interactions. Biologia Marina Mediterranea. (5): 253-259.

Uye, S. I. (1994). Replacement of large copepods by small ones with eutrophication of embayments:cause and consequence. Hydrobiologia. (292/93): 513-519.


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SEVEN YEARS OF SURVEY (2004 - 2010) ON REPRODUCTION OFSEA TURTLES ON SHKAÏFATE BEACH, SYRIAN COAST (PROPOSED

AS PROTECTED AREA)

*1, 2,Adib Saad, 3Alain Rees, 2Ahmad Soulaiman

1Tishreen University, P.O.Box 1408 Lattakia, Syria;

2Syrian Society for Aquatic Environment Protection (SSAEP)

3Greek Society for Sea Turtles Protection (ARCHELON)


Abstract

In this work we present results of nesting turtles survey during seven years: 2004 – 2010, which wereconducted around the coast. We found that there is sparse nesting along the coast between Shkaifat andSnawbar (south of Lattakia city). Along a 12.5 km stretch of coast. Results from the 2004- 2010 nestingseason confirmed that a Shkaifat- Snawbar beach near Latakia in Syria was an important nesting site forgreen turtles in the Mediterranean.

Keywords: sea turtles nesting, conservation, Levantine Basin, Syria

Introduction

The presence of loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) off thecoast of Syria, was first reported by Gruvel [1], but nesting on the country’s beaches was notindicated. The next turtle information to come out of Syria resulted from a rapid assessmentsurvey in 1991 that identified low-level nesting concentrated on a beach south of LattakiaCity[2]. Local researchers noted incidental turtle captures in beach seines, and also observedturtles stranded along the coast [3]. Since 2004 a more extensive coastal survey wasundertaken, primarily to better identify Syria’s actual and potential nesting populations [4]. Bothnocturnal surveys during the nesting season and co-operative efforts with fishermen affordedthe first opportunities to observe turtles in the wild, to obtain basic biometric data and tag theturtles before they returned to the sea after nesting or were released after being caught infishing nets.


From last week of May to second week of October the 7.5 km Shkaïfat beach between NorthJableh and Snowbar, 35°28'00"N, 35°51'45"E was surveyed in the early morning for evidence ofsea turtle nesting, nest hatching and events that may have affected the incubation of nests,such as inundation by storm waves or depredation. The adjoining beach to the north, fromSnowbar to the river Al Kabir Al- Shamali next to Lattakia, 5 km to the north, was surveyed, as acontinuation of the daily survey, 10 times at weekly intervals to record the same information.Emergence tracks from adult turtles were checked for species and evidence of nesting and thetrack recorded as either a nesting or non-nesting emergence.Nesting species was determined by appearance of the track [5] and by maximum width of thetrack. In the eastern Mediterranean, loggerhead turtles are generally far smaller than greenturtles, and hence their track widths are generally much narrower. Additionally nest excavationoften afforded confirmation of species by identification of dead or live hatchlings or embryos.To determine the movement of sea turtles during and after the reproduction period, we tagged78 individual during 2004- 2010 with metal tags contain the name and address of the teamleader. Tags used in this investigation were model 681, ‘monel’ metal tags produced by theNational Band & Tag Company (Kentucky, USA), placed in the trailing edge of the fore flippers(Figure 2). Turtles were double tagged whenever possible to avoid loss of turtle identity, whichwould happen if a turtle were to lose its single tag.


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Figure 1. Location of Shkaïfat beach, south of Lattakia (proposed as coastal protected area) in theSyrian coast

Figure 2. Adib Saad and membes of ssaep tagging a green turtle


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Results and discussion

During 2004, 2006, 2008 , 2009 and 2010 we noticed 8, 15 ,21,19 and 18.7 nests per Km (respectively) for the green turtle Chelonia mydas, as for Caretta caretta, we recorded manynests and spawning sites in the same beach, but in less number (Table 1 & Figure 3). During2005 and 2007, the number of green turtle nests was much lower ( 3 and 2 nest per km ofbeach). Overall, these results indicate that this surveyed area is among the best sixth coastalzones suitable for the reproduction of the green sea turtles along the Mediterranean coast.Syria may also play a significant role hosting foraging turtles, as loggerheads from Cyprus,Turkey and Greece and have been shown to forage in near shore Syrian waters [6].Since green turtle nesting was discovered in 2004, repeated surveys have indicated thatLattakia beach hosts a regionally important rookery. This, together with the presence of lowerfrequency nesting at a few other beaches places Syria as the third most important country, afterTurkey and Cyprus, for green turtle nesting in the Mediterranean.

Table 1. Annual variation of nest number of green turtles and loggerhead on the Shkaifat beach(south of Lattakia) during seven years of survey.

Year Number of nest Number of surveysGreen turtle Loggerhead turtle

2004 104 6 502005 5 1 602006 198 8 702007 29 5 602008 273 16 702009 218 22 602010 234 26 42

Figure 3. Variation in number of turtle nests (C. caretta & C. mydas) on Shkaifat beach (South ofLattakia ) during seven years of survey

References

Gruvel, A. (1931). Les Etats de Syrie. Richesses marines et fluviales.Exploitation actuelle-Avenir.Biblioteque de la faune des colonies Francaises III.Paris, société d'Editions Geographiques,Maritimes et Coloniales.

Kasparek, M. (1995). The Nesting of Marine Turtles on the coast of Syria. Zoology in the Middle East.(11): 51-62.


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Saad, A., Rees, A., (2004). Status of Marine turtles in Syria 2004: Focus on nesting beach investigation(Case study and recommendation for future research). Proceeding of the workshop INOC Meknas.Marroco, 2-5 November 2004.

Rees, A.F., Saad, A., Jony, M. (2008). Discovery of a regionally important green turtle Chelonia mydasrookery in Syria. Oryx. 42. (3): 456-459.

Schroeder, B., Murphy, S. (1999). Population surveys (ground and aerial) on nesting beaches. InResearch and Management Techniques for the Conservation of Sea Turtles (eds K.L. Eckert, K.A.Bjorndal, F.A. Abreu-Grobois & M. Donnelly). 45–556.

Rees, A.F., Saad, A., Jony, M. (2010). Syria. 233-243 in: Casale, P. and Margaritoulis, D. (Eds.) Seaturtles in the Mediterranean: Distribution, threats and conservation priorities. 2010. Gland,Switzerland: IUCN. 294 pp.)


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DATA ABOUT LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE (CARETTA CARETTA L.,1758) IN PATOKU LAGOON, ALBANIA

1*Enerit Saçdanaku, 2Idriz Haxhiu

1Departament of Biology, Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Vlora ‘Ismail Qemali’, Albania

2University Vitrina, Tirana, Albania


Abstract

Data about loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta L.,1758) conducted in Patoku area (Drini Bay, WesternAlbania) during 2008, within the project focused on the monitoring and conservation of important seaturtle feeding grounds in the Patoku area (2008-10), supported by MEDASSET. About 105 individualswere captured in total as bycatch in stavnike fish-traps and trawling operations in this area; all them weretagged, using Stockbrands titanium tags. Moreover, the relative data about morphometry and bioecologywas assessed. About 95 individuals were tagged for the first time; 10 individuals were remigrants (taggedbefore 2008); while 16 individuals were recaptured within the same year. The largest number werecaptured in June (63 individuals) and only one in August and December, respectively. Based onmorphometric size-classes, the largest number belonged to 60 cm class (46 individuals), while 2individuals belonged to the 80 cm class. One of the most important morphometric aspects was the tailmeasurements: it is a simple technique, yet very important to show sexual differentiation in sea turtles.Hence, almost the whole population captured (102 individuals) consisted of 19.6% male, 39.2% femaleand 41.2% undetermined. Most of individuals presented epibiontic flora (mainly green algae) andepibiontic invertebrates, Balanus spp. were common; Lepas spp. were occasional, gastropods andbivalves were relatively rare. It was concluded that Drini Bay is a regionally and nationally importanthabitat that is used by sea turtles for foraging, as a refuge and as part of a key migratory corridor betweenthe Ionian and Adriatic Seas.

Keywords: Caretta caretta, morphometry, tagging, epibiontic, Patoku region.

Introduction

There are four species of sea turtles documented from Albanian offshore waters:

Loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta, is the most common (Zeko & Puzanov, 1960; Haxhiu,1981, 1985, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2005, 2010)

The green turtle, Chelonia mydas, is rare (Zeko & Puzanov, 1960; Haxhiu, 1981, 1985,1997, 1998)

Leatherback turtle, Dermochelis coriacea, very rare. The hawksbill turtle, Eritmochelys imbricata, a special occasion in Albanian waters

(Frommhold, 1959; Haxhiu, 2010).

The first three species of marine turtle are exhibited in the Museum of Natural Science in Tirana.Studies and publications on sea turtles in Albania are scarce (Zeko & Puzanov, 1960; Haxhiu,1981, 1985, 1995, 1997, 1998; Haxhiu & Oruci, 1998; Haxhiu & Rumano, 2005; Haxhiu, 2010).They concern sporadic observations and descriptive geographic distributions of turtles inAlbania. Focused studies have been carried out between 2002 – 2009. During this period, 1027individual of Caretta caretta were studied (75 of wich were found dead) and 18 individual ofChelonia mydas (Haxhiu, 2005, 2010).Loggerheads are considered endangered species and are protected by the International Unionfor the Conservation of Nature. Untended fishing gear is responsible for many loggerheaddeaths. Turtles may also suffocate if they are trapped in fishing trawls. Turtle excluder devices(TEDs) have been implemented in efforts to reduce mortality by providing an escape route forthe turtles. Loss of suitable nesting beaches and the introduction of exotic predators have alsotaken a toll on loggerhead populations. Efforts to restore their numbers will require internationalcooperation since the turtles roam vast marine areas and critical nesting beaches are scatteredacross several countries. Their relatively high presence in Patoku region means that this areashows significant ecological importance, rich in habitats that can help in the conservation ofendangered migratory species (like marine turtles, etc.). Building knowledge and improving the


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protection and management of marine and coastal biodiversity in such areas would be of crucialimportance. Improve the capacity to study and conserve biodiversity at the abovementionedsites, would help to ensure environmental sustainability.


1. Study area

In the northernmost part of the Western Lowlands of Albania there is a lagoon at Patoku region[N41o38.191’; E019o35.327’]. This lagoon is part of Drini Bay, which is a shallow sea (maximumdepth 47 m) with a sand and mud substratum dominated by bivalves and crabs. Five sediment-laden rivers enter the bay: Buna, Drini, Mati, Droja and Ishmi.

Figure 1. Drini Bay (adapted by M. White)

2. Stavnikes

One of the method used in this study was to monitor turtles that were caught incidentally byfisheries (i.e. ‘bycatch’); and in particular from a method of fishing that uses traps, which areknown as ‘stavnikes’. Stavnikes are a type of fish‐trap, originating in Russia that arrived inAlbania around 30 years ago, and were forgotten until about 2003; when the Patoku fishermenstarted to use them again (Haxhiu, 2010).

Figure 2. Typical design of a stavnike fish‐trap (after I. Haxhiu)


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A long barrier net extends from the fish‐traps to the beach (Ishmi stavnike was 1800 m offshore,coordinates: [N41o36.198’; E019o33.349’]; Mati only 200 m, coordinates: [N41o38.512’;E019o34.126’]); the traps are constructed to allow entry from either side of the barrier net. Whenfish or turtles encounter the barrier they have three choices: to turn left, right, or to go back theway they came; an area they may have just foraged. Turning beachwards leads them intoshallower water, but any animals entering the traps’ reception area are guided into successivechambers; escape from these is difficult although not impossible.

3. Morphometric data

The curve carapace length (CCL) and curved carapace width (CCW) were measured and turtlesallocated into 10 cm size – classes (length - frequency distribution) based on their CCL e.g. 40cm size – class range: 40.0 – 49.9 cm et seq. (White, 2007).As an indicator of the stage of sexual development, three measurements were recorded fromthe tail:a) Distance from posterior margin of plastron to midline of cloacal opening (Plas – clo)b) Total tail length (TTL)c) Distance from tip of tail to posterior margin of the carapace (+/- cara)As a very important elements in identifying the individual of turltes we have also counted theepidermal scales of the carapace (nuchal, coastal and marginal scales) as well as head scales(prefrontal and frontoparietal).

4. Tagging

The first turtle tagging project in Albania began at the end of 2002, using Dalton’s plasticRototags (provided by RAC/SPA, Tunis). Suggett & Houghton (1998) provided evidence thatRototags can increase the risk of turtles becoming entangled in fishing gear, and so in this studywe used a single Stockbrand’s titanium tag (these tags lock into a closed u‐shape).

Figure 3. Stockbrand’s titanium tag, put on the flipper of the turtle (Photo M. White)

The first titanium tag was applied in July 2008; these tags were marked with an Albanianaddress, in order to reinforce the conservation message; fishermen thought that the Rototagshad been applied in Tunisia due to the RAC/SPA address marked on the tag. WhenRoto‐tagged turtles were recaptured, the plastic tags were removed and replaced with atitanium tag.


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Results and discussion

1. Distribution of individual (Caretta caretta) by month

In the following chart is shown the distribution of individual of C. caretta by month:

Figure 4. Distribution of individual (Caretta caretta) by months

As it is shown from the chart the largest number of individual has resulted in June and July. It isseen that we have a disproposal in distribution between June and July and the other months.This is because of stavnikes, wich have been working till the mid of August. Based on theprevious studies related to the distribution of C. caretta in this area (Haxhiu, 2005, 2007) wehave this view: in 2002 the largest number of individual resulted in September (50 individual); in2003 in May (71 individual); 2004 in July (24 individual); in 2005 in June (25 individual); 2006 inJune (15 individual).

2. Size – classes

In the following table and chart is given the distribution of turtles by month, allocated into 10 cmsize – classes (length - frequency distribution) based on their CCL e.g. 40 cm size – classrange: 40.0 – 49.9 cm et seq. (White, 2007).

Table 1. Number of loggerhead in each cm size – class of CCL.

Figure 5. General distribution of individual of C. caretta by size – class for 5 months(June, July, August, September, December)

CCL 40 50 60 70 80 Total

June 0 17 26 17 2 62July 2 10 20 4 0 36August 1 0 0 0 0 1

September 1 0 0 1 0 2

December 0 0 0 1 0 1

Total 4 27 46 23 2 102


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From the above table and chart it is clearly seen that the largest number of individual of C.caretta belongs to 60 cm size – class (46 individuals), while the smallest number to the 80 cmsize – class (2 individual).

3. Head epidermal scales

As a very important elements in identifying the individual of turltes we have also counted theepidermal scales of head (prefrontals and frontoparietals). The following charts shows thedistribution of individual related to the number of prefrontal and frontoparietal scales:

Figure 6. Demonstration of head scales (Photo: I. Haxhiu)

Figure 7. Distribution of individual by the number of prefrontal scales

Regarding to the prefrontal scales in C. caretta their numbers is always 4 or more, but neverless than 4. While to the other species Chelonia mydas this number is always 2. In this way thenumber of prefrontal scales it is used as a taxonomic element for the identification of species.Form the chart (Figure 7), it is seen that the largest number of individual have had 4 and 5prefrontal scales (which is normal), while the smallest number of individual have had 8prefrontal scales (this is very rare).While for the identification of individuals within the species we have been focused on the shape,size and number of frontoparietals scales (photo – recognition, White, 2006).


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Figure 8. Distribution of individual by the number of frontoparietals scales

In frontoparietals scales we have included all those scales that touch the parietal (see Figure 6).There is a certain number of these scales in Caretta caretta. From the Figure 8, it is seen thatthis number varies from 9 – 15 frontoparietals and the mode is 12 with 35 individuals.

4. Determination of sex

The sex of marine turtles can be determined easily in mature individuals (adults). This isbecause of some secondary characteristics features, as can be: males tail length; size andmorphology of carapace; the hole in the plastron or the development of nail in the front limbs ofa male individual. The most obvious feature to an adult male is the tail, which is too long andextend outside the carapace (see Figure 10).

Figure 10. The extended tail of an adult male loggerhead (left)A male individual of C. caretta (right)

While when we talk abuot an individual adult female, it can be easily traced because they havea short tail and in most cases the length of the tail does not extend out of carapace (see Figure11).


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Figure 11. A female individual of C. caretta (left). Demonstration of morphological elementsor sex determination to an adult male (right)

The difficulty in determining the sex of individuals stands to those who are sexually unmatured(Juveniles). This is because the length of the tail to the juvenile is not enough developed and itcan not be used as an element to determine their sex (Limpus, 1985; Wibbles, 1988). Indetermining their sex are used other methods that are not based on morphological elements.One of the methods can be direct observation of the gonads, through examination with specialequipment (Wood et al., 1983; Limpus & Reed; Limpus, 1985). In this study we have classifiedthe individual of C. caretta into three groups regarding to their sex: Female, male andundetermined (juvenile). For this we are based mainly on these morphological elements:Distance from posterior margin of plastron to midline of cloacal opening (Plas – clo); Total taillength (TTL); Distance from tip of tail to posterior margin of the carapace (+/- cara) (see Figure11).Based on this classification has resulted that 41.17 % were female, 19.60 % male and 39. 21 %undetermined (juvenile). In the following chart is given this distribution of individual by sex. As itis seen in the following chart we have a dominance of female individual over the males andquite a large number of undetermined individual (juvenile).

Figure 12. Distribution of individual of C. caretta by sex given in percentage


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5. Epibionts

Epiobionts (epibiontic flora and epibiontic fauna) is very widespread in sea turltles (Oliverio etal., 1992). The individual of C.caretta were studied for the presence of epibionts. Most ofindividuals presented epibiontic flora (mainly green algae) and epibiontic invertebrates, Balanusspp. were common; Lepas spp. were occasional, gastropods and bivalves were relatively rare.For all the individual studied has resulted that they were overloaded with epiobionts (epibionticfauna and epibiontic flora) in a percentage of 48.6 % against them who were clean (withoutepibionts) in a percentage of 51.4 % (see Figure 13).

Figure 13. An individual of C. caretta overloaded with epibionts (Photo: I. Haxhiu)

Conclusions

About 105 individuals were captured in total as bycatch in stavnike fish-traps and trawlingoperations in this area; all them were tagged, using Stockbrands titanium tags. About 95individuals were tagged for the first time; 10 individuals were remigrants (tagged before 2008).Remigrants referres to previously‐tagged turtles captured inter‐annually. This is a veryimportant data because it shows that Albania is part of their migratory routes.Turtles that were caught more than once in the same field‐season were referred to as‘recaptures’. In our stduy resulted that 16 individuals were recaptured within the same year(2008). This data shows that this area could be a foraging habitat for those animal.From this study resulted that 41.17 % were female, 19.60 % male and 39. 21 % undetermined(juvenile). As it is seen we have quite a large number of female individual. This data can beconsidered as very important, because so far in Albanian coastline has not been found anynesting activity. Having these high percentage of female we can say that in the future Albaniancoastline can be a potential nesting habitat for Caretta caretta.The distribution and lifestyle of male turtle is not as well known as that of females, because as itis known males spend all their life-cycle on the sea and is very difficult to study them. As thedistribution and marine ecology of male turtles is poorly understood, this unusual assemblagecan be considered an important and highly-significant finding. We can say that Patoku lagoonmay be a male foraging and developmental habitat, as 19.60 % of all individual studied weremales.In this study almost half (48.6%) of infividual of C. caretta were overloaded with epibionts(epibiontic fauna and flora). The most important is the fact that these epibionts does not causeany damages to turtles, except of making their body a little havy for swimming. Thus, their arenot parazite to sea turtles, but they use the shell of these animals to fix on it and while turtlesare swiming in differents habitats they feeds.From the three year project was concluded that Drini Bay is a regionally and nationally importanthabitat that is used by sea turtles for foraging, as a refuge and as part of a key migratorycorridor between the Ionian and Adriatic Seas.


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References

Haxhiu, I. (1979). Percaktues i Reptileve te Shqiperise. Shtepia Botuese e Librit Universitar. Tirane.1 – 144.

Haxhiu, I. (1980). Rezultate te studimit te reptileve ne vendin tone. Disertacion.‐ Biblioteke Kombetare,Tirane. 1‐102.

Haxhiu, I. (1981). Emertime popullare te zvarranikeve ‐ Studime Filologjike. (4): 209‐ 217.

Haxhiu, I. (1985). Rezultate te studimit te breshkave ne vendin tone (Rendi Testudines) . Bul Shkenc.Nat. (2): 54‐60.

Haxhiu, I. (1995). Results of studies on the Chelonians of Albania. Chelonian Conservation and Biology.,Florida – USA. (1). Nr. 4 : 324‐327.

Haxhiu, I. (1998). The Reptilia of Albania: species composition, distribution, habitats. Bonn Zool. Jb.Syst. (121): 321‐334.

Haxhiu, I., Rumano, M. (2005). Conservation project of sea turtles in Patok, Albania. ProceedingsSecond Mediterranean Conference on Marine Turtles. Kemer. 87-90.

Haxhiu, I., (2010) Albania Pp. 5-28 in Casale, P. D. Magritoulis (Eds) 2010. Sea turtles in theMediterranean: Distribution, threats conservation priorities. Gland, Swizerland: IUCN. 296.

Haxhiu, I. (1998). The Reptiles of Albania: Species compositions, distribution, habitats. Bonn, zool. Beitz.(48): 35-37.

Limpus, C. J. (1985). A study of loggerhead sea turtle, C. caretta in eastern Australia. Ph.D. disertation.Univ. Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.

Oliverio, M., Gerosa, G., Cocco, M. (1992). First record of Pinctada radiata (Bivalvia, Pteriidae) epibionton the loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta (Chelonia, Cheloniidae). Boll. Malacol.( 28): 149-152.

Suggett DJ, Houghton JDR (1998) Possible link between sea turtle bycatch and flipper tagging in Greece.Marine Turtle Newsletter 81: 10‐11.

White, M. G. (2007). Marine ecology of loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758) in theIonian Sea: Observation from Kefalonia and Lampedusa. Ph.D. Thesis, University College Cork,Irleand. 300.

White, M. (2006). Photo‐recognition: a technique used to identify individual loggerhead turtles in themarine environment. In: Frick, M., A. Panagopoulou, A.F. Rees and K. Williams (Eds.), Book ofAbstracts. Twenty‐Sixth Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. InternationalSea Turtle Society. Crete, Greece. 376.

White, M., Haxhiu, I., Kararaj, E., Mitro, M., Petri, L., Saçdanaku, E., Trezhnjevna, B., Boura, L.,Grimanis, K., Robinson, P., Venizelos, L. (2010). Monitoring and Conservation of Important SeaTurtle Feeding Grounds in the Patok Area of Albania 2008‐2010. Project Report.

Wood , J. R., Wood, F.E., Critchley, K.H., Wildt, D.E., Bush. M. (1983). Laparoscopy of the green seaturtle. British Journal of Herpetology. (6):323-327.

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