Between March-May 2013 a massive Salpa maxima bloom was recorded by a citizen science study along the Ionian and Adriatic coast of the Salento peninsula (Italy). Citizen records were substantiated with field inspections along the coast and during an oceanographic campaign in the Otranto Channel. Salps clogged nets, impairing fishing activities along the coast. Swimmers were scared by the gelatinous appearance of the salps, and thought they were jellyfish. At the end of the bloom the dead bodies of the colonies, that were up to 6-7 m long, were accumulated along the coast and stirred by the waves, forming foams along dozens of kilometers of coast. The bloom also occurred at the Tremiti Islands, north of the Gargano Peninsula. The possible impacts of such events on the  functioning of pelagic systems are discussed.

During 2005–2008 species composition, abundance patterns, natural mortality rates and salinity effects on zooplankton were studied in the Bosphorus regions of the Black and Marmara Seas. The tendencies to diminish for abundance and biomass of the Black Sea originated zooplankton species and to increase for the proportion of their carcasses in the direction from the Black Sea toward the Marmara Sea were found. The mortality in the Black Sea species increased with depth in the Marmara Sea. The contribution of organic matter of carcasses of the Black Sea originated organisms to bacterial processes in the deep strata of the Marmara Sea was estimated. Different salinity and temperature regimes restrict mutual penetration of the species in these seas.

The interdisciplinary ‘Aquaria for the Promotion of Environment and History’ (A.Pr.E.H.) is an in progress project financed within the framework of the European Territorial Cooperation Programme (E.T.C.P.) “Greece-Italy” 2007-2013. The project - whose Italian partners are the University of Salento (Leader), the Province of Lecce, the Municipality of Nardò, while the Greek partners are the University of Patras and the Municipality of Kefalonia – will be concluded within February 2014 and aims to study and to promote the historical and natural submarine heritages which characterize two Ionian areas of the Mediterranean: Salento peninsula (SE-Italy) and Kefalonia Island (W-Greece). To accomplish the project, two small public Aquaria have been designed, respectively at the localities of Santa Maria al Bagno (Nardò) and Argostoli (Kefalonia). The mission of both Aquaria will be the promotion, education, and information point not only for the knowledge of the local marine fauna and flora, but also for the many ancient wrecks which stay in these seas by 3,500 years at least. In each Aquarium several natural submerged landscapes and historical findings will be exhibited representing the other partner country, to provide an integrated transboundary touristic promotion.

viene presentato un progetto per la realizzazione di un acquario in Santa Maria al Bagno (Nardò-LE) impostato sulla presenza di relitti sommersi (di cui la zona è ricca) piuttosto che sulla biodiversità marina

The currently available knowledge on biodiversity and species distribution of Italian fauna still presents some gaps to be filled, in particular in the southern part of the country. This study represents the first survey aimed at assessing the presence and distribution of Calanoida in inland waters of Apulia (south-eastern Italy). The research lasted five years and led to the mapping of 121 inland water bodies, most of which are characterized by temporary hydroperiods. Fifty-five of the sampled sites hosted at least one calanoid species, and 48 sites (among the 55 sites hosting Calanoida) are temporary water bodies. Thirteen calanoid species were detected in total; several of these are first records for Apulia and three species are new records for mainland Italy. The efficiency of the sampling effort was tested for both the entire Apulian territory and its main subareas, namely Gargano (in northern Apulia), and Salento (southern Apulia). Central Apulia showed the lowest species richness among the three sampled subareas. This is probably due to the scarcity of inland water bodies. Species composition of Apulian calanoid fauna was compared to the ones of the geographically close areas for which data are available: the other Italian faunal provinces (Alpine, Apennine, Padanian, Sardinian and Sicilian provinces) and the Balkans (Albania, Corfu, Croatia, Greece and Turkish Trace, Macedonia, Slovenia). Gargano and Salento showed a different assemblage of vicariant species but both the areas showed a remarkable presence of Mediterranean elements that, in fact, characterize the whole Apulian faunal province. The highest similarities for inland water calanoid fauna, which were observed between Gargano and the Apennine province, and between Salento and Sicily, are discussed, along with the total assessment of the whole Apulian calanoid fauna.

si descrive la metodica per prelevare, e analizzare campioni di sedimento al fine di trovare forme di resistenza prodotte dal mesozooplankton

The composition of mesozooplankton and their space-time distribution in the Gulf of Vlore¨ (southern Albania, Mediterranean Sea) are described for the first time. Sampling was carried out during two oceanographic cruises (May 2007, January 2008) with two replicates at each of 17 stations at each time, making a total of 68 samples. The study aimed to describe the influence of confinement (defined as distance from the open sea) and anthropogenic impact (defined as vicinity to the east coast of the gulf) on zooplankton composition. A total of 198 taxa were recognised in the whole zooplankton assemblage, with only 136 taxa common to both periods and only two species present in all samples. Statistical analysis of data distinguished the Mezokanal area (the boundary between the gulf and the open sea) from three other areas inside the gulf. Differences were also found among the areas inside the gulf at increasing degree of confinement. Mesozooplankton varied more sharply with confinement than with anthropogenic impact and yielded moredetailed space partitioning of the gulf than microzooplankton, which had been used in a previous study

Zooplankton assemblages of 51 lacustrine environments located in the middle of the Mediterranean Region were analysed to evaluate the existence of an ‘age effect’ in determining their structure. The analysed datasets refer to two different geographic areas, one comprising 30 natural and artificial lakes in Sicily and the other an arrangement of 21 analogous aquatic ecosystems located at the bottom of the Italian Peninsula, a more pristine area called Southern Apennine region. Most of the natural lakes are of post-glacial origin. The artificial lakes in both datasets were built in the last century and offer the opportunity to evaluate the possible short-term effects of ageing on the structure of their zooplankton. A comparison of assemblages in the two regions by PERMANOVA and nMDS revealed that they are quite different; therefore they were analysed separately. An explorative analysis on the possible relationship between biological data and environmental data (including lake age) was performed on both datasets using DISTLM. The presence of an ‘age effect’ emerged only in the subset of artificial lakes of the Southern Apennine region; accordingly it was tested more in detail with an a posteriori PERMANOVA analysis in the subset of reservoirs that resulted positive in the first test. SIMPER allowed us to single out the main species responsible of changes in the zooplankton along the selected age groups. No age effect was evident in the Sicilian water bodies, where other variables, such as conductivity, trophic state, urbanisation and water level fluctuations proved to have a major role in shaping zooplankton assemblages. The results showed that the age effect is: (i) detectable only at a time scale of decades; (ii) masked by the human impact in the watershed.

Within a route of Education Naturalistic Museum (MAUS), we configured various types of intervention and study related to new technologies and new scientific languages, depending on the objective of learning and involvement. The idea of this work was to increase and to enhance the usability of MAUS Museum through App of Augmented Reality and through Virtual Reality projections, related to natural stimuli (Plankton 3D and Tarbosaurus 3D), to a site storage of exhibits and geo-referencing of the same and all analysis and stimuli validation on the basis of new technologies and on the basis of the of the elements of interaction's characteristics. Easy Perception Lab is a project developed on Information Technology in which we validated/evaluated the activation produced by stimuli presented in 2D and 3D in MAUS museum, developed on evolutionary and neuroaesthetic hypotheses.

Reproductive traits of Paracartia grani [percentage of spawning females, egg production rate (EPR), and hatching success (HS)] were investigated for the first time at high salinities (39–121 psu) to examine the impact of such a particular situation. The study was done in two hypersaline ponds [A1 (39–46 psu) and C31 (70–121 psu)] in Sfax Solar Saltern, central-eastern coast of Tunisia. These ponds also differed in terms of the composition and concentrations of nutritional parameters. The EPR differed significantly between the ponds (ANOVA, F=29.45, p < 0.001). In pond A1, EPR varied between 12.7 ± 1.3 eggs female−1 day−1 (7 December 2009) and 14 ± 1 eggs female−1 day−1 (19 January 2010) with an average of 13.3 ± 0.44 eggs female−1 day−1. HS after 48 h of incubation were significantly higher than those after 24 h. The mean values of HS after 48 h were 42.72 ± 2.58% at pond A1 and 41.67 ± 3.92% at pond C31. The two peaks of HS (after 48 h) were observed at 15 °C in pond A1 (21 December 2009, 45.18% nauplii eggs−1) and in C31 (4 January 2010, 48.78%) at the same temperature. This study confirms that a broad salinity tolerance allows P. grani to settle itself in environments, which are normally hostile to the development of other Acartiidae.

Albania, as well as a great part of the Balkan area in general, still suffers a lack of environmental studies especially in limnological research. The Dumre plateau, in Central Albania, is characterized by an extraordinary high number of karst lakes in a small geographic area. Despite their environmental peculiarity, very few biological data are to date available for these lakes, none on the zooplankton. For this reason, 15 water bodies located in the central area of the plateau were selected for a preliminary limnological survey carried out in the years 2008-2011. Neodiaptomus schmackeri (Poppe & Richard, 1892), a diaptomid calanoid copepod characterized by a South-Eastern Palearctic - Oriental distribution, and the most widely spread Neodiaptomus species in Asia, was found in 8 lakes of the Dumre area. This finding represents the first record of the species, and of the entire genus Neodiaptomus, for Europe. Several environmental variables were measured to characterize the lakes, and the co-occurring planktonic crustaceans were also identified. Taxonomical drawings and descriptions of the main morphological features of both sexes are herein provided in order to compare the Albanian populations of N. schmackeri with those of the native distribution area of the species. The possible causes which determined the occurrence of this non-indigenous species in several Dumre lakes are discussed

An interdisciplinary front-end evaluation was performed in order to support the choice and theme of exhibits in the new Salento Aquarium (Nardò-Italy), in the framework of the EU Project “interdisciplinary Aquaria for the Promotion of Environment and History (A.Pr.E.H.)”. A questionnaire among 1220 potential visitors, mainly from Puglia, served to identify the interests and knowledge of various “potential publics” and to set up the exhibits in accordance with the results. The respondents confirmed that aquaria and other similar educational institutions are sites where conservation, research, and educational content need to be supplemented with cultural, social and “fun” aspects. The interviewees asked for teaching activities (especially regarding shipwrecks, environmental protection and submerged caves), but also for guided tours and a multipurpose garden. The aquarium is considered an effective enrichment of culture and tourism in the study area. The public is generally unaware of the existence of submerged wrecks along the seacoast of the Salento. The exhibits sought to respond to these suggestions and to the public’s lack of awareness about many aspects of nature and history. This paper seeks to contribute to the improvement of social and cultural cohesion, the quality of life and environmental protection by means of a socio-economic study. The aquarium’s potential for enrichment of culture and tourism will be confirmed through a subsequent “summative” evaluation

The dailyEggProductionRate(EPR)ofthethreeAcartiidaecopepodsnamely Acartia clausi, Paracartia latisetosa and Paracartiagrani in theNorthLagoonofTuniswascomparedtotemperatureandfood availabilityeveryseasonfromMarch,2003toFebruary,2004correspondingtothemajorseasonal peaksoftheirabundanceandovera20-daysperiod.ThedailyEPRwasevaluatedbyassumingadirect correlationwithchlorophyll a, particulateorganiccarbon(POC),andsomeeasilyextractablemacro- molecularcompoundsfromtheseston,suchasproteins,carbohydratesandlipids.Theresultsshowed significantdifferencesinEPRbetweenseasonsandspecies.Temperatureandsalinitynegatively affectedthefecundityof A. clausi and positivelythatof P. latisetosa and P. grani. The A. clausi EPR was supportedbychlorophyll a and sestonicproteinswhilethatof P. latisetosa and P. grani correlated with POCsuggestingthatthesetwotaxafeedonmicrozooplanktonanddetritusmorethanon phytoplankton.Overall,EPRdatashowedpotentialpopulationrecruitmentevidentlythehighestin P. latisetosa in summer, P. grani in autumnand A. clausi in winter.Ourresultsindicatethattemperature and ood quality are the determining factors of both abundance and reproduction of the copepods under study.

si descrive il breve periodo più recente del Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche e Ambientali, con i suoi sviluppi e i suoi risultati anche a livello internazionale

A census of submarine caves has been carried out along the coast of the Marine Protected Area “Porto Cesareo” in the Gulf of Taranto (South East Italy). The work carried out from September 2007 to June 2010, allowed us to record 11 new caves, formerly unknown, which have to be added to those recently listed by DENITTO and BELMONTE (2008). Maps and rough description of the 11 submerged caves have been deposited at the Regional Catalogue of Karstic structures. The geomorphologic phenomenon (submarine caves) were practically undescribed in the MPA, and after the present results a new habitat, of great naturalistic interest, has been added to those described and already protected by the MPA. The scuba expeditions in the caves of the MPA deal with the biological aspects (fauna and community structure) only marginally, and more deeply with the topography. A small number of submerged caves has been proposed, being in the accessible part of the MPA, for scuba tourism. In the next future, both a study on the biology of MPA submarine caves, and a study on the tourism impact on submarine caves will be proposed to complete the investigation here presented.

impressioni personali sulla figura di Livio Ruggiero, conseguenti alle frequentazioni avute con lui

For the first time the meiofauna of the rocky walls of a submarine cave was studied. The cave, known as il Ciolo (Strait of Otranto, south-east Italy) is a closed tunnel about 125 m long, with a maximum depth of 6 m below sea level. The meiofauna was collected from artificial panels and natural rocky walls. This double approach enabled: (1) the description of the community’s initial organization (on artificial substrata), and (2), especially for Harpacticoida, its mature composition (on rocky walls), which also helped to establish spatial differences. The collected samples yielded 70 taxa in total. Harpacticoida represented the most important group of organisms in terms of both abundance and identified taxa. The meiofauna assemblage appeared not to be affected by community age, with the exception of the very early stage. The meiofauna of the cave showed assemblage differences from the entrance to the innermost positions, but not as evident as in the case of the macrobenthos. The similarity of community composition at different ages (6, 12 and 24 months) and at different positions along the cave could be the consequence of the specimens’ vagility

Neoergasilus japonicus (Harada, 1930) (Copepoda Ergasilidae) is reported for the first time in Italy. Several specimens of this non-indigenous species were identified in the free-living zooplankton of 11 lakes out of 21 sampled seasonally during a period of 2 years in southern Italy. Adults of both sexes were found, females always without ovisacs. Morphological novelties, such as the bifid inner terminal seta of the furcal rami in females and the plumose terminal setae on either males or females, are reported. Neoergasilus japonicus has been observed only in summer and autumn samples. At present, the geographic distribution of the species is Holarctic, and it is expanding in Europe. Although this is the first record for Italy, the presence in about half of the investigated lakes and the abundance of the found populations suggests that the species distribution should be more extended than we presently know.

As part of recent limnological campaigns in Apulia (South-Eastern Italy), 217 temporary and permanent ponds were studied. The diaptomid calanoid copepod Neolovenula alluaudi (Guerne and Richard, 1890) was collected in eight of these ponds. These findings represent the first record of the species in Italy. Morphological features are provided with original drawings, which are compared with currently available descriptions. Environmental variables were recorded in order to provide information on the ecological preferenda of the species in its Italian occurrence sites; in addition, the co-occurring crustacean fauna was identified and reported for each pond. A review of the available literature allowed us to determine more accurately the chorology of the species and to propose a biogeographical hypothesis concerning its distribution. An updated map of the species’ distribution including the new Italian sites is presented and we provide evidence to support the idea that the current chorotype of N. alluaudi is the result of an association of the Saharan and Turanic-European-Mediterranean chorotypes.

As part of recent limnological campaigns in Apulia (South-Eastern Italy), 217 temporary and permanent ponds were studied. The diaptomid calanoid copepod Neolovenula alluaudi (Guerne and Richard, 1890) was collected in eight of these ponds. These findings represent the first record of the species in Italy. Morphological features are provided with original drawings, which are compared with currently available descriptions. Environmental variables were recorded in order to provide information on the ecological preferenda of the species in its Italian occurrence sites; in addition, the co-occurring crustacean fauna was identified and reported for each pond. A review of the available literature allowed us to determine more accurately the chorology of the species and to propose a biogeographical hypothesis concerning its distribution. An updated map of the species’ distribution including the new Italian sites is presented and we provide evidence to support the idea that the current chorotype of N. alluaudi is the result of an association of the Saharan and Turanic-European-Mediterranean chorotypes

Thirty-eight nonindigenous marine species (NIS) (macroalgae, sponges, hydrozoans, molluscs, polychaetes, crustaceans, ascidiaceans and fish), are reported from the Apulian coast of Italy. Shipping, aquaculture and migration through the Suez Canal are the main pathways of introduction of the NIS. In Apulian waters, 21% of NIS are occasional, 18% are invasive and 61% are well-established. It is highly probable that more NIS will arrive from warm-water regions, because Mediterranean waters are warming. Furthermore, some of the successful NIS must have the ability to become dormant in order to survive adverse conditions, either seasonal or during long journeys in ballast waters. The identification of NIS depends greatly on the available taxonomic expertise; hence the paucity of taxonomists hinders our knowledge of NIS in our seas. We propose the creation and maintenance of a network of observatories across the Mediterranean to monitor the changes that take place along its coasts.

A NEW SPECIES FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN HAS BEEN FOUND IN A SUBMERGED CAVE. IT IS A SPECIES DESCRIBED FROM THE GUINEA GULF. IT IS NOT SURE IT IS OF RECENT INTRODUCTION DUE THE CRIPTIC BEHAVIOUR IT HAS.

viene individuato Pietro Parenzan come fautore e promotore della biologia marina nel salento e con tutto quello che ne è derivato: il corso di laurea in biologia alla università, l'area marina protetta a porto cesareo, il museo di biologia marina

In the frame of the INTERREG III CISM project, sediment cores were collected at 2 stations in the Gulf of Vlor¨e to study the plankton resting stage assemblages.Atotal of 87morphotypeswere identified and produced by Dinophyta, Ciliophora, Rotifera, and Crustacea. In 22 cases, the cyst belonged to a species absent fromthe plankton of the same period.Themost abundant resting stages were those produced by Scrippsiella species (Dinophyta). Some calcareous cysts were identified as fossil species associated with Pleistocene to Pliocene sediment, although they were also found in surface sediments and some of them successfully germinated, thus proving their modern status. Total abundance generally decreased with sediment depth at station 40, while station 45 showed distinct maxima at 3 and 8 cm below the sediment surface.The depth of peak abundance in the sediment varied with species.This paper presents the first study of the plankton resting stages in the Bay of Vlor¨e. The study confirmed the utility of this type of investigation for a more correct evaluation of species diversity. In addition, the varying distribution with sediment depth suggests that this field could be of some importance in determining the history of species assemblages

A first synoptic and trans-domain overviewof plankton dynamics was conducted across the aquatic sites belonging to the Italian Long-Term Ecological Research Network (LTER-Italy). Based on published studies, checked and complemented with unpublished information, we investigated phytoplankton and zooplankton annual dynamics and long-term changes across domains: from the large subalpine lakes to mountain lakes and artificial lakes, from lagoons to marine coastal ecosystems. This study permitted identifying common and unique environmental drivers and ecological functional processes controlling seasonal and long-termtemporal course. The most relevant patterns of plankton seasonal succession were revealed, showing that the driving factors were nutrient availability, stratification regime, and freshwater inflow. Phytoplankton and mesozooplankton displayed a wide interannual variability at most sites. Unidirectional or linear long-term trends were rarely detected but all sites were impacted across the years by at least one, but in many case several major stressor(s): nutrient inputs, meteo-climatic variability at the local and regional scale, and direct human activities at specific sites. Different climatic and anthropic forcings frequently co-occurred, whereby the responses of plankton communities were the result of this environmental complexity. Overall, the LTER investigations are providing an unparalleled framework of knowledge to evaluate changes in the aquatic pelagic systems and management options.

are reported the first results of a interdisciplinary and integrated study to understand the plankton dynamics in a confined basin (mar piccolo of Taranto). Cyst production rate, Cyst accumulation, Cyst germination rate, Plankton abundance and composition, and Cyst abundance and composition, have been alltogether considered

A temporary exhibition (21 Feb - 20 Jun 2014) at the MAUS (Museum of the Environment -University of the Salento) provided an opportunity to revise the collections of Cretaceous fossil fish found in Salento limestone belonging to various Italian Institutions. The investigation, which continued after the exhibition concluded, recorded 2466 items, distributed across 11 different locations. To date, less than 20 % of the items have been studied. However, from 1911 to 2015, 48 scientific articles and 1 catalogue were published, describing 42 species (including 39 new to Science), with the establishment of 32 new Genera, 9 new Families and 1 new Order. The exhibition at the MAUS was supported by the publication of a catalogue to disseminate knowledge of this aspect of the Salento limestone. Illustrations drawn for the exhibition were also used to produce the MAUS 2015 calendar, thus fulfilling the aim of presenting to the wider public the rich assemblage of Cretaceous fish from the Salento, mostly unknown and dispersed around Italy

We investigated how stenohalinic Black Sea Calanus euxinus, when migrating to the north-eastern Marmara Sea, can adapt to the pronounced salinity gradient there. During field observations (2005 to 2008) females of Calanus euxinus with significantly smaller body length (compared with those inhabiting the brackish Black Sea at 17 to 18 psu) were found in the deep, high-saline (~38.5 psu) layers of the Marmara Sea. Similar diameters of eggs laid by small- and large-sized females and similar respiration rates in nauplii hatched from these eggs indicated the Black Sea origin of the C. euxinus population found in the Marmara Sea. To understand the morphological and physiological changes in C. euxinus during acclimation to high salinity, we studied the effect of salinity on behaviour, food consumption, growth patterns, hatching success and respiration rate of C. euxinus individuals collected in the Black and Marmara Seas. It was shown that the range of salinity tolerance for adult C. euxinus (17 to 30 psu) from the Black Sea was extended gradually to 40 psu after 1 d of acclimation to the high salinity of the Marmara Sea. Long-term parental salinity acclimation facilitates survival of eggs descending through the salinity gradient of the Marmara Sea, from brackish upper layers to deep, high-saline strata, or eggs laid in deep layers. While weight-specific respiration rates at the same temperature did not differ for C. euxinus juveniles from the Black and Marmara Seas, they were ~2 times higher in preadults and adults from the Marmara Sea than from the Black Sea. This may be the reason for the decrease in length and weight increments of these stages probably leading

The Vlora Bay is the only internal sea of the Albanian coastline. The site is of paramount interest for Albanian fishing, being a natural nursery for many fish species of economic importance. The composition of the plankton community in the Vlora Bay has been analysed and particular attention devoted to the unicellular eukaryotes by collecting samples from 16 stations during 2 seasonal cruises (May–June 2007, and January 2008), an effort to date never carried out to know the plankton biodiversity of the area. The microzooplankton community was composed of 122 phytoplankton and 105 microzooplankton taxa, of which 58.2% and 25.0%, respectively, were classified as seasonal (they were recorded only in one of the two considered times). Only four categories (all phytoplanktonic, the diatom Navicula sp., ‘‘undetermined naked dinoflagellates , 15 mm’’, the coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi, and the ‘‘undetermined phytoflagellates , 10 mm’’) were recorded in all the sampling stations (at least in one period). The microzooplankton were particularly diversified and characteristic in their Ciliophora components. A statistical analysis of taxa distribution allowed us to identify three distinct areas in the Vlora Bay: internal, intermediate, and external. The extension or the border position of these areas varied with the seasons and according to the microzooplankton group examined. The microzooplankton assemblages of the Vlora Bay showed significant differences with many other sites in the Mediterranean Sea, probably due to the crucial geographic position the bay occupies among different Mediterranean basins.

Neuston - comprising a diverse assemblage of organisms living in the surface layer of the water column - plays a unique ecological role in marine life. Notwithstanding its importance, quantitative information on its spatial structure are still limited, in particular for the Mediterranean Sea. Here, the spatial structure of neuston assemblage of the Western Mediterranean and the Southern Adriatic Seas was analysed, with particular emphasis on the biodiversity pattern in the two study areas. A total of 59 stations were sampled in an oceanographic cruise conducted in May-June 2013. Additional analyses were performed on data on 21 stations sampled in the Southern Adriatic in March 2015 in order to confirm the generality of the patterns observed in the 2013 cruise. Geostatistical analyses indicated that in 2013 in the Southern Adriatic the variation in taxonomic richness, abundance, and ecological diversity of the neuston across stations was characterized by a significant spatial autocorrelation. Conversely, in the Western Mediterranean a negligible spatial structure was observed. In addition, the taxonomic richness and ecological diversity of the neuston resulted significantly higher in Southern Adriatic than in the Western Mediterranean. Data collected in the 2015 cruise confirmed a high taxonomic richness and diversity for the Southern Adriatic; furthermore, a significant spatial autocorrelation was observed for both parameters. The present study represents an original insight into the structure of the neuston community in the Mediterranean Sea, providing strong evidence of the spatial variability of its diversity patterns. The influence of local and large-scale processes is discussed, and the need of more extended investigations is emphasized.

The widely accepted MacArthur & Wilson model of island biogeography proposes a number of species that, after an initial growth, stabilize on each oceanic island at an equilibrium point. This species number depends on the available space, the vicinity of mainland, and the habitat diversification, thus being directly correlated with space characteristics. This space based model, however, does not explains some astonishingly evidences of species richness. The story length (the age) of each environment, possibly associated to the stability of conditions, should offer a better interpretation of species richness in each situation. Lakes, as water islands, more than land islands, have been considered in the present review as evidences of such an affection of the time on the species richness. The high species richness in the most ancient lakes is probably completely due to the genetic drift which produces diversification within each population possibly without any dependence from variability of conditions and habitats.

VOLUME CON SCHEDE DI 20 STAGNI TEMPORANEI MEDITERRANEI PUGLIESI, 2O SCHEDE FLORISTICHE E 32 SCHEDE FAUNISTICHE

a study carried out on 141 temporary waters in Apulia, allowed to classify 20 of them as Mediterranean temporary waters (code 3170 of the Habitat Directive), on the basis of biological data.

15 lakes have been visited on a total of more than 100 existing in the Dumre district, Albania. $ of them have been repeatedly interested by a sample collection. Interesting presence of zooplankton spcies (Calanoida) have been ascertained

The Mediterranean Sea has been recently proposed as one of the most impacted regions of the world with regards to microplastics, however the polymeric composition of these floating particles is still largely unknown. Here we present the results of a large-scale survey of neustonic micro- and meso-plastics floating in Mediterranean waters, providing the first extensive characterization of their chemical identity as well as detailed information on their abundance and geographical distribution. All particles >700 μm collected in our samples were identified through FT-IR analysis (n = 4050 particles), shedding for the first time light on the polymeric diversity of this emerging pollutant. Sixteen different classes of synthetic materials were identified. Low-density polymers such as polyethylene and polypropylene were the most abundant compounds, followed by polyamides, plastic-based paints, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene and polyvinyl alcohol. Less frequent polymers included polyethylene terephthalate, polyisoprene, poly(vinyl stearate), ethylene-vinyl acetate, polyepoxide, paraffin wax and polycaprolactone, a biodegradable polyester reported for the first time floating in off-shore waters. Geographical differences in sample composition were also observed, demonstrating sub-basin scale heterogeneity in plastics distribution and likely reflecting a complex interplay between pollution sources, sinks and residence times of different polymers at sea.

A public Aquarium was realized in the frame of the European Territorial Cooperation Programme, ETCP, Greece-Italy 2007-2013. Such a project (acronym APREH) started in 2011 with the University of Salento as Leader Partner, Province of Lecce and Municipality of Nardò as Italian partners, and University of Patra and Municipality of Kefallinia as Greek partners. The proposal of an Aquarium had the aim to promote the archaeological and natural submarine heritage along the coastline of the Salento Peninsula and of the Kefallinia island. The Italian partnership realized an Aquarium at Santa Maria al Bagno (Nardò, Lecce), restructuring an ancient building (Fig. 1) with services, a conference room, and 4 exhibition environments equipped with a total of 17 tanks of variable volume (25 – 2,500 litres), hosting a total of 100 species of marine organisms (Tab. 1, Fig. 2). Four tanks were equipped with reproductions of wrecks: a Junker 88 airplane, an Italian Cargo Ship, an English destroyer of the 2nd World War, and a Roman ship of the 2nd Century b.C. with its cargo of amphorae. The official opening was celebrated on 05 June 2015 (Fig. 3). The structure is the unique public Aquarium functioning in the Southern Italy apart from Naples; it has been open to visitors only during the 13 week ends of June-August, receiving more than 7,000 visitors mainly coming from Province of Lecce and the rest of Italy (Tab. 2). Also due to front end evaluation studies, a plan for the future functioning of the Aquarium is presented, taking into consideration its educative role, and its touristic attractiveness.

The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of crustaceans in the identification of different pond types, including ‘Mediterranean Temporary Ponds’ (sensu ‘Habitats’ Directive) and ponds characterised by a range of hydroperiods. Thus, we performed a limnological study in the Alta Murgia National Park (central Apulia), conducting a three-year monitoring programme in 19 ponds, both temporary and permanent. Occurrence data for macrophytes and quantitative samples of crustaceans were collected contemporaneously with measures of water variables and environmental features. Based on macrophyte assessment, half of the studied waterbodies were found to include Mediterranean Temporary Pond priority habitats, and the possible relationships with the crustacean assemblages were analysed. All ponds were grouped into three different classes depending on their hydroperiod. Data analysis revealed that (i) there was a significant relationship between the distribution of crustaceans and macrophytes; (ii) crustacean richness was highest in ponds belonging to the shortest hydroperiod class considered and (iii) the different hydroperiod classes were associated with specific crustacean assemblages. This study indicates that crustaceans—in addition to macrophytes—can be used as an effective tool for the identification of different pond types.

Mass density, sinking speed and hatching success of eggs in Calanus euxinus, Acartia clausi and A. tonsa have been examined in response to salinity and temperature of the Marmara and Black Seas. Eggs of C. euxinus from the Marmara and Black Sea populations (mean mass density of 1.036 to 1.040 g cm–3) laid in brackish (18 to 22 psu) upper layers of the Marmara Sea could sink to high-saline (~38.5 psu) deep layers during embryonic development. Gradual salinity increase from 22 to 38.5 psu in laboratory experiments reduced egg hatching success in C. euxinus from the Marmara Sea from 97 ± 4 to 47 ± 11% (means ± SD) while all eggs of the Black Sea C. euxinus did not hatch. Mean mass density of eggs in A. tonsa and A. clausi amounted to 1.062 and 1.044 g cm–3, respectively. Eggs of A. tonsa with higher mass density and longer development time than those of A. clausi could descend to high salinity strata in the Marmara Sea, or to a cold intermediate layer in the Black Sea. On the contrary, sinking depth of eggs of A. clausi should not exceed 30 m both in the Black and Marmara Seas, as this increases predator pressure. Hatching success in A. tonsa eggs laid at 18 psu decreased from 77.7 ± 18.5% at 20°C to 46.7 ± 21.5% at 7°C, and reduced to 10.2 ± 4.7% at 7°C and 39 psu. Egg hatching success in A. clausi from the Black Sea did not depend upon temperature, whilst it decreased dramatically from 80 to 90% to 3.3 to 10% after salinity increase from 18 to 38 psu.

A 2-year study was conducted on 4 interconnected, progressively more confined coastal basins with the aim of describing zooplankton composition and its dynamics. A total of 346 taxa (175 species) were recorded. 24 species were new records for the Italian fauna. Taxa richness was partly attributed to the intense sampling effort. Using an additional net with narrower mesh sizes enabled to enrich the taxa list, and a correct estimation of the abundances, especially for the smaller species. Regarding spatial partitioning, 87.5% of categorieswere linked to only 1 or 2 adjacent sampling stations. Regarding time partitioning, 80.6% of categories showed an intermittent presence (seasonality). Distance from the open sea (confinement) was found to be directly correlated with the numerical abundance of specimens and its variability. In contrast, it was inversely correlated with species richness. Cumulative data after 2 years, confirmed the inverse correlation of species number with confinement. However, the final species richness led to less important differences between the four basins. A comparisonwith data from1990 to 91 highlighted substantial differences in zooplankton composition. However, in one case it has been demonstrated that the difference was due to the difficulty in correctly estimating species number in confined habitats.

The zooplankton composition of Lake Varano has been studied from June 2007 to May 2008 considering three sampling stations (western, central, eastern). A total of 55 zooplankton categories were recognised, with medusae Aurelia aurita as the main macroscopic species; 43 of them occurred in less than 50% of the 71 samples collected, highlighting the seasonal aspect of the community. The remaining 12 categories, present in more than 50% of samples, were numerically dominated by the copepod ‘Non Indigenous Species’ Acartia tonsa (reported here for the first time in the lake), which occurred throughout the year. Maximal abundance of zooplankton was recorded in the eastern sampling station, while the lowest values were recorded in the central one. The statistical analysis of data allowed us to establish a not sharp separation of the three sampling stations, apart from isolated dates. The present zooplankton assemblage showed that about 40% of its components differed from those recorded in a study of 18 years before. This last comparison is not easily referable to the ongoing climate warming (the dominant species are of cold temperate origin) and analysis of uninterrupted time series could be useful to understand the underlying reasons.

La società ha per obiettivo primario la valorizzazione dei risultati della ricerca svolta all'interno dell'università attraverso lo sviluppo di nuovi prodotti e servizi nel campo delle scienze ambientali ed in particolare quella sviluppata presso l'Università del Salento nel campo delle scienze del mare, favorendo lo sviluppo di un approccio ecologico, ecosistemico ed etico nella gestione ambientale di imprese ed enti. In particolare la società, anche attraverso la partecipazione ad altre società od enti, si dedicherà alle seguenti attività: indagini ambientali; studi di fattibilità e pianificazione ambientale; consulenza scientifica; recupero ambientale; formazione ed educazione ambientale; divulgazione scientifica; studio, progettazione e realizzazione, su incarico del committente, di progetti di qualsiasi natura, attinenti allo scopo sociale che non siano in contrasto con le attività dell'Università del Salento.