Microbial communities and biogeochemistry in an ...

Frontiers | Manage Abstracts | My Submissions | All Abstracts

Journals A-Z Gabriella Caruso

By Subjects 7

My Journal

Events

Jobs

People

Pagina 1 di 3

Videos

Submit

News

Blogs

Images

Books

Search

EVENT ABSTRACT

Microbial communities and biogeochemistry in an area of Engraulis encrasicolus spawning in the Sicilian Channel Rosabruna La Ferla1*, Maurizio Azzaro1, Gabriella Caruso1, Giovanna Maimone1, Carmela Caroppo2, Serena Fonda Umani3, Renata Zaccone1, Luis Salvador Monticelli1, Filippo Azzaro1, Marcella Leonardi1, Franco Decembrini1, Anderson Cabral4, Rodolfo Paranhos4, Angela Cuttitta5, Francesco Placenti5, Roberta Larosa1, 6 and Bernardo Patti5 1

Institute for Coastal Marine Environment, IAMC UOS-Messina, CNR, National Council of Research, Italy

2

Institute for Coastal Marine Environment, IAMC UOS-Taranto, CNR, National Council of Research, Italy

3

University of Trieste, CoNISMa, Italy

4

Institute of Biology, Federal University Rio de Janeiro, UFRJ, Brazil

5

Institute for Coastal Marine Environment, IAMC UOS-Capo Granitola, CNR, National Council of Research, Italy

6

University of Pisa, UniPi, Italy

Attempts to merge marine food webs and marine biogeochemical research have recently been developed in response to the need to understand how global change will impact marine ecosystems and resources (Salihoglu et al., 2013; Painting, et al., 2013). Among the multiple drivers that influence ecosystem dynamics, Link et al. (2012) focused on three main processes that affect marine fish productivity: biophysical (environmental), exploitative (fisheries), and trophodynamic (species interactions) factors. Previous paper underlined the relationships among microbial parameters and physical and chemical conditions of waters (Zaccone et al., 2012). With the aim of providing an ecosystem approach to fisheries management, the monitoring of biological and environmental variables was carried out in the frame of the Bansic12 cruise performed in the Sicily Channel (Ibleo-Maltese platform) during July 2012. The Sicily Channel is a spawning area of Engraulis encrasicolus (Linnaeus, 1758), a pelagic species of commercial interest (Basilone et al., 2013). As a consequence, fish eggs and larvae together with microbial assemblages (virio-, autotrophic and heterotrophic pico-, nano- and microplankton) were quantified in terms of abundance and biomass (Andrade et al., 2003; Caroppo et al., 2010; Fonda Umani et al., 2010; La Ferla et al., 2012). To give a more comprehensive picture of microbial role in supporting the flux of biogeochemical elements in the study area, rates of microbial metabolic processes (primary and secondary production, enzymatic hydrolysis of dissolved and particulate matter, and community respiration) were also quantified (La Ferla et al., 2005; La Ferla et al., 2010; Caruso et al., 2014). In addition, the hydrology, the trophic parameters and correlated indices were analyzed to contribute to the understanding of plankton communities dynamism (Leonardi et al., 2009). The euphotic layer was characterized by the presence of the typically oligotrophic MAW (Modified Atlantic Water), flowing eastward along the Sicilian coast. Low nutrient concentrations were recorded, particularly regarding the phosphorus, whose values were close to the detection limit. The diffuse oligotrophy of the area was confirmed by high N/P ratios as well as by low Chl-a values. Particulate Organic Carbon (POC) concentrations were low, as well as those of Particulate Nitrogen (PN). Peaks of POC and PN were recorded at the Deep Chlorophyll Maximum (DCM) or below the thermocline (Leonardi et al., 2014). As regards biological parameters, virus counts were low with a mean value of 1.68E+05 ± 7.0E+04 VPL ml1 and prokaryotic biomass ranged between 24.9 and 113.0 µg C L-1, mainly composed by curved rods and coccobacilli (range size: 0.160 – 0.459 µm3). Low nucleic acid cells (LNA) prevails over high nucleic acid cells (HNA) with a HNA/LNA mean ratio of 0.56, similar to that occurring in surface layer of several pelagic Mediterranean areas (La Ferla et al., 2012). The picophytoplanktonic biomass (range 0.29–26 µg C L-1), was mostly due to the presence of coccoid cyanobacteria, belonging to the genus Synechococcus. Total nanoplankton biomass (range 0.11-1.71 µg C L-1) showed the highest values at the DCM or below the thermocline. Nanoplankton was represented, among the others, by the dinoflagellates Amphidinium carterae and Heterocapsa niei. The coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi and flagellates of uncertain taxonomic identification were also abundant. Microphytoplankton abundance ranged between 6.1 and 40.5 E+03 cells L-1, while biomass between 0.28 and 2.43 µg C L-1. Diatoms and dinoflagellates were the main components of the community, composed by 24 and 30 species, respectively. Concerning microzooplankton, eggs, nauplia and metazoan larval stages

http://www.frontiersin.org/Journal/MySubmissionViewDetails.aspx?stage=100&articl... 17/06/2014


Pagina 2 di 3

prevailed in terms of biomass in almost all samples. Heterotrophic dinoflagellates were the second more relevant group while aloricate Ciliates and Tintinnids did not significantly contribute to the total biomass. Biomass maxima were generally observed at the surface or at the DCM, but never exceeded 16.0 µg C L-1. Finally, anchovy eggs and larvae mainly occurred in the 0-10/0-25 m depth intervals, with highest densities of 4.2 eggs m-3 and 2.6 larvae m-3. The rates of production, hydrolysis and degradation activities were quite low, in agreement with the general oligotrophy of the area and in agreement with this findings, picophytoplankton contribution to total production amounted to over than 65%. In terms of metabolic activities, different spatial distributions were observed between the autotrophic and heterotrophic components. In particular, heterotrophic metabolism showed high values in the layer located below the thermocline and above the DCM. Concerning the enzymatic activities, total leucine aminopeptidase activity showed the highest rates, followed by alkaline phosphatase and betaGlucosidase (Caruso et al., 2014). Distribution of the dissolved enzymatic activities acting on proteins varied widely along the column, accounting for 5 to 90% of the total enzymatic activity and always prevailed on dissolved b-GLU. Total enzymatic activity rates were comparable to those obtained in the oligotrophic zones of Ionian and Mediterranean Sea (Zaccone et al., 2012), while the analysis of the dissolved fraction was the first report for the Mediterranean. In conclusion, the multidisciplinary scientific approach used in this study depicted a complex picture of the study area evidencing a high heterogeneity and dynamism of plankton communities, probably associated to peculiar hydrology of this ecosystem. On the whole, the study area appeared to be characterized by a relatively efficient microbial food web. However, low trophic conditions were stressed by all the biological and biochemical patterns, suggesting an important role of heterotrophic processes in this area in the examined summer period. Consequently, how and how much the microbial web sustains fish reproduction and larval survival need a more comprehensive analysis and will be focused in further research.

Conflict of Interest The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

References Andrade, L., Gonzalez, A.M., Araujo, F.V., Paranhos, R. (2003). Flow cytometry assessment of bacterioplankton in tropical marine environments. Journal of Microbiological Methods 19, 8994. Basilone, G., Bonanno, A., Patti, B., Mazzola, S., Barra, M., Cuttitta, A., Mcbride, R. (2013). Spawning site selection by European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) in relation to oceanographic conditions in the Strait of Sicily. Fisheries Oceanography 22 (4), 309–323. Caroppo, C., Vanucci, S., Del Negro, P., La Ferla, R., Maimone, G., Maugeri, T.L. (2010). “Abbondanza e biomassa del picofitoplancton (Microscopia ad epifluorescenza)” in Metodologie di studio del plancton marino, eds G. Socal, I.Buttino, M.Cabrini, O.Mangoni, A.Penna, C.Totti (Roma: ISPRA), 477-487. 141-148. Caruso, G., Azzaro, M., Decembrini, F., Larosa, R., Maimone, G., Cuttitta, A., Monticelli, L.S., Zaccone, R., Patti, B., La Ferla, R. (2014). Planktonic communities in an anchovies spawning area of the Sicilian Channel: microbial activities. 45th S.I.B.M. Congress, Venice, May 19-23, 2014 Fonda Umani, S., Franzè, G., Modigh, M., Monti, M. (2010). “Microzooplancton”, in Metodologie di studio del plancton marino, eds G. Socal, I.Buttino, M.Cabrini, O.Mangoni, A.Penna, C.Totti (Roma: ISPRA), 477-487. La Ferla, R., Azzaro, F., Azzaro, M., Caruso, G., Decembrini, F., Leonardi, M., Maimone, G., Monticelli, L.S., Raffa, F., Santinelli, C., Zaccone, R., Ribera d’Alcalà, M. (2005). Microbial contribution to carbon biogeochemistry in the Central Mediterranean Sea: Variability of activities and biomass. Journal of Marine Systems 57, 146– 166 La Ferla, R., Azzaro, M., Caruso, G., Monticelli, L.S., Maimone, G., Zaccone, R., Packard, T.T. (2010). Prokaryotic abundance and heterotrophic metabolism in the deep Mediterranean Sea. Advances in Oceanography and Limnology 1 (1), 143-166.



Pagina 3 di 3

La Ferla, R., Maimone, G., Azzaro, M., Conversano, F., Brunet, C., Cabral, A.S., Paranhos, R. (2012). Vertical distribution of the prokaryotic cell size in the Mediterranean Sea. Helgoland Marine Research 66, 635–650. Leonardi, M., Azzaro, F., Azzaro, M., Caruso, G., Mancuso, M., Monticelli, L.S., Maimone, G., La Ferla, R., Raffa, F., Zaccone, R. (2009). A multidisciplinary study of the Cape Peloro brackish area (Messina, Italy): characterisation of trophic conditions, microbial abundances and activities. Marine Ecology 30 (Suppl. s1), 33-42 Leonardi, M., Azzaro, F., Azzaro, M., Caruso, G., Cuttitta, A., Decembrini, F., Larosa, R., Maimone, G., Paranhos, R., Placenti, F., Zaccone, R., Patti, B., La Ferla, R. (2014). Planktonic communities in an anchovies spawning area of the Sicilian Channel: trophic status. 45th S.I.B.M. Congress, Venice, May 19-23, 2014. Link, J.S., Gaichas, S., Miller, T.J., Essington, T., Bundy, A., Boldt, J., Drinkwater, K.F., Moksness, E. (2012). Synthesizing lessons learned from comparing fisheries production in 13 northern hemisphere ecosystems: emergent fundamental features. Marine Ecology Progress Series 459, 293–302, doi: 10.3354/meps09829 Painting, S. J., van der Molen, J., Parker, E. R., Coughlan, C., Birchenough, S., Bolam, S., Aldridge, J. N., Forster, R. M., Greenwood, N. (2013). Development of indicators of ecosystem functioning in a temperate shelf sea: a combined fieldwork and modelling approach. Biogeochemistry 113, 237–257. DOI 10.1007/s10533-012-9774-4 Salihoglu, B., Neuer, S., Painting, S., Murtugudde, R., Hofmann, E.E., Steele, J.H., Hood, R.R., Legendre, L., Lomas, M.W., Wiggert, J.D., Ito, S., Lachkar, Z., Hunt, Jr. G.L., Drinkwater, K.F., Sabine, C.L. (2013). Bridging marine ecosystem and biogeochemistry research: Lessons and recommendations from comparative studies. Journal of Marine Systems 109-110, 161-175 Zaccone, R., Boldrin, A., Caruso, G., La Ferla, R, Maimone, G., Santinelli, C., Turchetto, M. ( 2012). Enzymatic activities and prokaryotic abundance in relation to organic matter along a West-East Mediterranean transect (TRANSMED cruise). Microbial Ecology 64 (1), 54-66. Keywords: microbial communities, Biodiversity, Microbial biogeochemistry, environmental assessment, Engraulis encrasicolus, Mediterranean Sea, Ecosystem Approach, fishery management Conference: IMMR | International Meeting on Marine Research 2014. Peniche, Portugal, 10 Jul - 11 Jul, 2014. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation Topic: OCEANOGRAPHY AND MARITIME TECHNOLOGY Citation: La Ferla R, Azzaro M, Caruso G, Maimone G, Caroppo C, Fonda Umani S, Zaccone R, Monticelli L, Azzaro F, Leonardi M, Decembrini F, Cabral A, Paranhos R, Cuttitta A, Placenti F, Larosa R and Patti B. Microbial communities and biogeochemistry in an area of Engraulis encrasicolus spawning in the Sicilian Channel. Front. Mar. Sci. Conference Abstract: IMMR | International Meeting on Marine Research 2014. * Correspondence: Dr. Rosabruna La Ferla, Institute for Coastal Marine Environment, IAMC UOS-Messina, CNR, National Council of Research, Spianata S. Raineri 86, Messina, Italy, [email protected] < Back

Back to top Home

Contact

Submit

Newsletters

About Frontiers

Press Relations

FAQs

RSS/Twitter

Journals A-Z

News

Terms & Conditions

Team

Frontiers Supporters

Careers © 2007 - 2014 Frontiers Media S.A. All Rights Reserved
