Alessandro Buosi

Macrophyte assemblage composition as a simple tool to assess global change in coastal areas. Freshwater impacts and climatic changes

Macrophyte assemblages are one of the most sensitive biological communities to assess anthropogenic impacts and climate changes. Community composition responds very quickly to environmental changes driving towards a predictable composition. The increase or decrease of the trophic status (i.e. nutrient concentrations, suspended particulate matter, Chlorophyll-a) and temperature are the most important factors responsible for the replacement of taxa of high ecological value (sensitive taxa) with opportunistic species. A qualitative and quantitative study of macrophytes in 4 areas along the coasts of the Northern Adriatic Sea, from Venice (Italy) to Savudrija (Croatia) and the analysis of river outflows in this region during one year (May 2012-April 2013) provided information about their spatial variability. The coasts of the Veneto Region and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, which are affected by significant freshwater inputs, showed a strong biodiversity reduction or a dominance of thionitrophilic taxa. No seagrasses colonized these areas. On the other hand, the coasts of Croatia had negligible fresh water inputs and macrophyte communities were dominated by sensitive taxa such as the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa and some species belonging to genus Cystoseira.

Rediscovery of a Forgotten Mediterranean Chaetomorpha Species in the Venice Lagoon (North Adriatic Sea): Chaetomorpha stricta Schiffner (Cladophorales, Chlorophyta)

Abstract On the basis of bibliographical, morphological and molecular studies (SSU rDNA), the reinstatement of species rank for Chaetomorpha stricta Schiffner, a poorly known Mediterranean endemic species described in the early 20th century, is proposed. Previously reduced to a posterior heterotypic synonym of C. linum (O.F. Müller) Kützing, C. stricta clearly differs from the latter by its small, light green, free-living filaments entangled in dense masses, the cells 0.5 to 1.6 (rarely 2) times as long as broad, with cell walls lamellate and broad up to 75–90 μm thick, and by molecular data. Chaetomorpha stricta was rediscovered, in May 2011, in oligotrophic clear waters of a closed fishing pond in the Valle Cavallino (northern basin of the Venice Lagoon). A critical review of Chaetomorpha taxa reported in the Mediterranean Sea and a taxonomic key to the Mediterranean taxa currently accepted are presented.

The Life “SeResto” project: A new strategic approach to meet HD and WFD objectives by SEagrass RESTOration

Buosi Alessandro, Facca Chiara, Ponis Emanuele, Bonometto Andrea, Boscolo Rossella, Parravicini Massimo, Centanni Elena, Siega Andrea, Volpe Valerio, Sfriso Adriano 1 Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics & Statistics (DAIS), University Ca’ Foscari Venice, Italy 2 Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, ISPRA, Chioggia, Italy 3 Laguna Venexiana Onlus, Italy 4 Provveditorato Interregionale per le Opere Pubbliche del Veneto-Trentino Alto Adige-Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy