LibertasTV, polusatna emsija serijala „Na dnevnoj bazi" sudjeluju N. Jasprica i M.Batistić, 8. srpnja 2022., tema: Zagrijavanje mora
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NanF5J4FiXU
LibertasTV emsija „Pretežno vedro" (uživo), N. Jasprica, 17.5.2022., tema: Ekološkiproblemi
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8LBUUUg8aY
Marijana Hure, Mirna Batistić, Rade Garić
Copepod diel vertical distribution in the open Southern Adriatic Sea (NE Mediterranean) under two different environmental conditions. Water, 14 (2022), 12; 1-19.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/w14121901
Abstract
Diel vertical migration of the copepod the community was investigated in the open South Adriatic, in June 2020 and February 2021, under two very different hydrographical conditions. The influence of a winter wind-induced mixing event on copepod vertical migration at the species level was determined for the first time and compared to the situation in June when pronounced thermal stratification was observed. The samples were collected during a 24 h cycle in four depth layers from the surface down to 300 m depth, using a Nansen opening–closing net with 250-µm mesh size. In winter, the bulk of the copepod population remained in the epipelagic zone (0–100 m) over the entire 24 h cycle, with calanoids remaining the dominant group. An increasing trend of copepod standing stocks from midnight to early morning in the surface layer found in June is in agreement with previous records of copepod day–night variations in the Mediterranean Sea. Day–night differences in diversity and the number of taxa of the epipelagic area were more pronounced in June, confirming the higher intensity of diel vertical migration in summer. Although the epipelagic community was composed of numerous weak diel vertical migrant species, for the majority of investigated copepod taxa, migration patterns differed between the environmentally contrasting seasons. A multivariate non-metric analysis showed that the copepod community was strongly affected by temperature, thus exhibiting a clear seasonal structure.
Nenad Jasprica, Marijeta Čalić, Vedrana Kovačević, Manuel Bensi, Iris Dupčić Radić, Rade Garić, Mirna Batistić
Phytoplankton distribution related to different winter conditions in 2016 and 2017 in the open southern Adriatic Sea (eastern Mediterranean). Journal of Marine Systems 226 (2022) 103665.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmarsys.2021.103665
Abstract
Phytoplankton community structure and dynamics were investigated in the open southern Adriatic Sea during two winter-spring seasons (2016 and 2017) under different oceanographic and meteorological conditions. The principal environmental factor was a pronounced inflow of the Levantine Intermediate Water into the Adriatic, favoured by the cyclonic circulation of the Northern Ionian Gyre. As a consequence, high salinity values of about 38.8–38.9, were registered. Fifteen research cruises were undertaken in the same sampling area situated in the northern part of the Southern Adriatic Pit (SAP) with a maximum depth of 1200 m. Two specific circumstances were encountered: (i) high abundances of phytoplankton in the deep layer associated with strong downward flow in 2016, and (ii) an intense surface phytoplankton bloom in March 2017. This particular event occurred following the strong vertical convective mixing, which increased nutrient availability in the euphotic layer. High in situ Chl-a concentrations (max. 1.65 mg m-3) and phytoplankton abundances higher than 105 cells L-1 are not common in the habitually oligotrophic open southern Adriatic Sea, and this study attempts to determine the driving force of that phenomenon. The phytoplankton community in SAP involved nanoflagellates and diatoms as the most abundant taxonomic groups during the March 2017 bloom. Presence of some coastal phytoplankton taxa suggests the influx of coastal water masses and transport of species either longitudinally, from the northern to the Southern Adriatic in concomitance of the Northern Adriatic Dense Water spreading, or transversal as a response to the strong mesoscale activity in the study region, comprising intense shelf - open sea interaction.
Karina von Schuckmann ((Editor)), Pierre-Yves Le Traon ((Editor)), Neville Smith (Chair) ((Review Editor)), Ananda Pascual ((Review Editor)), Samuel Djavidnia ((Review Editor)), Jean-Pierre Gattuso ((Review Editor)), Marilaure Grégoire ((Review Editor)), Signe Aaboe, Victor Alari, Brittany E. Alexander, Andrés Alonso-Martirena, Ali Aydogdu, Joel Azzopardi, Marco Bajo, Francesco Barbariol, Mirna Batistić, Arno Behrens, Sana Ben Ismail, Alvise Benetazzo, Isabella Bitetto, Mireno Borghini, Laura Bray, Arthur Capet, Roberto Carlucci, Sourav Chatterjee, Jacopo Chiggiato, Stefania Ciliberti, Giulia Cipriano, Emanuela Clementi, Paul Cochrane, Gianpiero Cossarini, Lorenzo D'Andrea, Silvio Davison, Emily Down, Aldo Drago, Jean-Noël Druon, Georg Engelhard, Ivan Federico, Rade Garić, Adam Gauci, Riccardo Gerin, Gerhard Geyer, Rianne Giesen, Simon Good, Richard Graham, Marilaure Grégoire, Eric Greiner, Kjell Gundersen, Pierre Hélaouët, Stefan Hendricks, Johanna J. Heymans, Jason Holt, Marijana Hure, Mélanie Juza, Dimitris Kassis, Paula Kellett, Maaike Knol-Kauffman, Panagiotis Kountouris, Marilii Kõuts, Priidik Lagemaa, Thomas Lavergne, Jean-François Legeais, Pierre-Yves Le Traon, Simone Libralato, Vidar S. Lien, Leonardo Lima, Sigrid Lind, Ye Liu, Diego Macías, Ilja Maljutenko, Antoine Mangin, Aarne Männik, Veselka Marinova, Riccardo Martellucci, Francesco Masnadi, Elena Mauri, Michael Mayer, Milena Menna, Catherine Meulders, Jane S. Møgster, Maeva Monier, Kjell Arne Mork, Malte Müller, Jan Even Øie Nilsen, Giulio Notarstefano, José L. Oviedo, Cyril Palerme, Andreas Palialexis, Diego Panzeri, Silvia Pardo, Elisaveta Peneva, Paolo Pezzutto, Annunziata Pirro, Trevor Platt, Pierre-Marie Poulain, Laura Prieto, Stefano Querin, Lasse Rabenstein, Roshin P. Raj, Urmas Raudsepp, Marco Reale, Richard Renshaw, Antonio Ricchi, Robert Ricker, Sander Rikka, Javier Ruiz, Tommaso Russo, Jorge Sanchez, Rosalia Santoleri, Shubha Sathyendranath, Giuseppe Scarcella, Katrin Schroeder, Stefania Sparnocchia, Maria Teresa Spedicato, Emil Stanev, Joanna Staneva, Alexandra Stocker, Ad Stoffelen, Anna Teruzzi, Bryony Townhill, Rivo Uiboupin, Nadejda Valcheva, Luc Vandenbulcke, Håvard Vindenes, Karina von Schuckmann, Nedo Vrgoč, Sarah Wakelin & Walter Zupa (2021) Copernicus Marine Service Ocean State Report, Issue 5, Journal of Operational Oceanography, 14: sup1, 1-185.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1755876X.2021.1946240
Copernicus Marine Service Ocean State Report Issue 5
Rade Garić, Mirna Batistić
Description of Aurelia pseudosolida sp. nov. (Scyphozoa, Ulmaridae) from the Adriatic Sea. Water 2022, 14, 135.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/w14020135
Abstract
Until 2021, the genus Aurelia contained eleven described species (WoRMS, 2020), with many genetic species still awaiting a formal description. In 2021, ten new species of Aurelia were described almost solely from genetic data in a novel attempt to use genetic characters as diagnostic characters for species descriptions, leaving seven genetic species still undescribed. Here we present the description of a new Aurelia species from the Adriatic Sea using an integrative taxonomy approach, i.e., employing molecular as well as morphological characteristics in order to describe this new Aurelia species. The species is described based on a single medusa sampled from the town of Rovinj (Croatia), North Adriatic, amidst combined blooms of the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidy and cnidarian Aurelia solida in the summer of 2020. Based on genetic data, the newly described Aurelia pseudosolida sp. nov. has never been sequenced in any of the previous investigations of the molecular diversity of Aurelia. This is the second species belonging to Discomedusae described from the North Adriatic in little more than half a decade, which could be yet another indication of the susceptibility of the North Adriatic to proliferation of non-indigenous gelatinous species, especially if we take into account historical as well as recent blooms of suspected non-indigenous gelatinous species such as Muggiaea atlantica, Aurelia solida, Mawia benovici and Mnemiopsis leidy.
Keywords: Adriatic Sea; Aurelia pseudosolida; Aurelia solida; Mnemiopsis leidy; integrative taxonomy; gelatinous zooplankton; zooplankton bloom
Planned Papers
Mirna Batistić, Rade Garić and Marijana Hure
First occurence of rare tropical hydromedusa Paracytaeis octona Bouillon, 1978 (Cnidaria: Anthoathecata) in the Adriatic Sea: A sign of climate changes?
A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818).
This special issue belongs to the section "Biodiversity Loss & Dynamics".
Special Issue "Gelatinous Zooplankton Diversity and Distribution in a Changing Ocean"
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/diversity/special_issues/Gelatinous_Zooplankton_Diversity_Distribution
Abstract
Rare Indo-Pacific hydromedusa Paracytaeis octona (Bouillon, 1978) was collected for the first time at the open sea of southern Adriatic in December 2015. Since then, this species appears almost every year in the Adriatic Sea in similar periods. Some specimens were sequenced (COI, 16S rRNA, 18S rRNA) and the obtained sequences were searched against the GenBank database using the Blast tool but no sequence of any of species of this genus existed in GenBank. Nevertheless, this analysis confirm its phylogenetical position based on morphological characteristics that species belong to the family Cytaeididae. Unknown and morphologically different hydromedusa juveniles co-occurred with older specimens of P. octona in the samples. Through genetic analyses, we have confirmed that they are actually juvenile individuals of P. octona, which have now been described for the first time. Relatively high number of specimens were occurred in a high salinity conditions (up to 39.3) in all years when they are registered. This indicates strong inflow of warmer and saltier East Mediterranean waters into Adriatic Sea. Accordingly, this species might be a Lessepsian migrant of Indo-Pacific origin. In the last few decades relatively large number of new gelatinous zooplankton which preferred warmer water has been registered in the Adriatic Sea. This could be a sign of ongoing climate changes and possible tropicalization of the Mediteranean Sea. Our results highlight necessity of gelatinous zooplankton monitoring activities, not only large but also small species, as a standard assessments for detection of climate-induced changes in marine ecosystems in the future.
Submitted Manuscript
Giuseppe Civitarese, Miroslav Gačić, Mirna Batistić, Manuel Bensi, Vanessa Cardin, Jakov Dulčić, Rade Garić, Milena Menna
The BiOS mechanism: history, theory, implications
Progress in Oceanography, submitted by July 13, 2022
Book Chapter
Mirna Batistić
Plankton communities and their role in the complex system of the Mali Ston Bay
In: Kunica, V., Ipšić, I. (eds)., Mali Ston Bay, Kingdom of Oyster, p. 47-85. Stonski školjkari Ston, Ston (2022).
https://www.malistonoyster.com/en/read-our-book
Meeting presentation (Abstracts)
Marijana Hure, Rade Garić, Davor Lučić
Two new records of invasive copepod Pseudodiaptomus marinus in the Adriatic Sea.
In: Jelaska, S. (ed.). Book of Abstracts of the 4th Croatian Symposium on invasive species with international participation. Croatian Ecological Society, Zagreb: 29.-30.11.2021.
p. 87-87 (poster presentation)
http://www.ekolosko-drustvo.hr/4CSIS-Book-of-Abstracts.pdf
Abstract
Free-living pelagic copepod species Pseudodiaptomus marinus Sato, 1913, indigenous to the North western Pacific Ocean, is one of the most well-known zooplankton species considered to be introduced to new environments by human activities. It is generally introduced into coastal areas, primarily into ports by ballast water release. From the first observation of this species in the Adriatic Sea in November 2007 near Rimini (Northern Italy), its presence has additionally been documented along the northern and eastern Adriatic ports with a stably increasing number of records updates on its distribution. We present here additional records of P. marinus in the zooplankton samples from the two cruises in the Adriatic Sea. The first record originated from the Middle/South Adriatic western coast, in December 2015, where this invasive calanoid was found at two stations near Gargano and one station near Bari in low abundances (< 1 ind. m-3). Samples were taken with a Nansen net (250 µm mesh size) during the ESAW cruise. Average temperatures of the sampling layers (0-100 m) ranged between 14.86 °C and 15.82 °C and salinity between 37.22 and 38.61. The second record was in the coastal area (Boka Kotorska Bay, Montenegro) of the eastern South Adriatic, in October 2018. Samples were taken during the night with Nansen net (125 µm mesh size). Abundances of P. marinus were 1.44 ind. m-3 (0-61 m sampling layer) and 3.73 ind. m-3 (32-62 m), with an average temperature of 18.09 °C and salinity of 37.45. Given the large number of mega cruise ships in the area, a ship’s fouling is probably a vector of P. marinus entrance and dispersion in the Boka Kotorska Bay. Further research on ballast water composition as well as studies on the fine distribution of this species for a longer period along the Adriatic coast are needed to estimate the possible establishment of this species in the area and its consequences for local planktonic populations.
Mirna Batistić, Rade Garić
A new species of the genus Paracytaeis (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) from the Adriatic Sea
In: Jelaska, S. (ed.), Book of Abstracts of the 4th Croatian Symposium on invasive species with international participation. Croatian Ecological Society, Zagreb: 29.-30.11.2021.
p. 90-90 (poster presentation)
http://www.ekolosko-drustvo.hr/4CSIS-Book-of-Abstracts.pdf
Abstract
A new hydromedusa species belonging to the genus Paracytaeis (Anthoathecata, Cytaeididae) is collected from the open sea of the southern Adriatic in winters of 2016., 2020. and 2021. Only two species from this genus are known, P. octona and P. meteoris. So far, only medusa stage of both speies are described. The last one is doubtfoul species due to inadequate description of only single specimen from near the Cape Verde Islands (Atlantic Oceans). However, this new species can be distinguished from its congeners, among others features, by the number of oral tentacles in adult specimens. Specimens were sequenced (COI, 16S) and the obtained sequences were searched against the GenBank database using the Blast tool. The search showed that no identical sequence existed in GenBank. However, no data of any of two Paracytaeis species existed in the Genbank. But, this analysis confirm that species belong to the family Cytaeididae. Relatively high number of specimens (≤ 1.0 ind/m3) were occured in a very high salinity conditions (38.8 - 39.0) in all years when they are registered, indicated strong inflow of Eeast Mediterranean water into Adriatic Sea. So there is a possibility that this Paracytaeis species is Lessepsian migrant of Indo-Pacific origin.
Keywords: Hydromedusa, Paracytaeis, new species, Adriatic Sea
Rade Garić, Mirna Batistić, Marijana Hure
Recent occurrence of Pyrosoma atlanticum (Thalicacea, Pyrosomatida) in the South Adriatic
In: Jelaska, S. (ed.), Book of Abstracts of the 4th Croatian Symposium on invasive species with international participation. Croatian Ecological Society, Zagreb: 29.-30.11.2021.
p. 89-89 (poster presentation)
http://www.ekolosko-drustvo.hr/4CSIS-Book-of-Abstracts.pdf
Abstract
Gamulin (1979), during his investigations of thaliacean abundance and distribution in the Adriatic Sea in the period from 1947 to 1952, found only larvae of Pyrosoma atlanticum, most commonly in the tetrazooid form, and in the greatest abundance near the Vis island. Nevertheless, he states that Pyrosoma atlanticum is common in the South Adriatic were it is occasionally caught by the fishermen in the fishing nets. For the period 1974-1975 Katavić (1976) states that he found 7 tetrazooids and 3 small adult colonies in the South Adriatic. In the period from 2007 to 2020 only few tetrazooid colonies were caught by zooplankton nets and adult colonies were never observed on the surface. In 2021, during zooplankton sampling trip in the open South Adriatic on 9th and 10th of September, we observed 13 adult colonies of P. atlanticum. Three of them were caught by hand nets and their identity was confirmed by inspection under the binocular. At the time of collection the surface salinity was extremely high (39.3) and surface temperature was 25.4°C. It seems that P. atlanticum is not as common in the Adriatic now as it was in the past. It occurrence seems to vary and it is possible that it is governed by circulation changes in the Ionian Sea, most notably BiOS (Bimodal Ocillating System). Due to the termophilic nature of P. atlanticum and on-going climate changes it is possible that P. atlanticum will become more common in the Adriatic Sea than it was in last decades. Keywords: Pyrosoma atlanticum, climate change, Thaliacea, Adriatic Sea.
Mirna Batistić, Rade Garić
New species of Aurelia from the Adriatic Sea
ASLO 2021 Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Virtual meeting, June 22–27, 2021
https://www.aslo.org/2021-virtual-meeting/
(poster presentation)
Abstract
In summer 2020 a bloom of Aurelia solida occured in the Adriatic Sea. Among A. solida individuals, new Aurelia species was detected. The individual was sequenced (COI, 16S, 18S-ITS1-5.8S-ITS2-28S) and the obtained sequences were searched against the GenBank database using the Blast tool. The search showed that no identical sequence existed in GenBank. Subsequent phylogenetic analysis associated this newly discovered species the most closely to Aurelia solida. Aurelia solida is a known Lessepsian migrant which is now widespread throughout Mediterranean. Given its close genetic association to the new Aurelia species it is possible that the newly discovered Aurelia species is also a Lessepsian migrant. In addition to genetic differences the two species differ most prominently in the way manubrium arms fold as well as in the morphology of the ropalium.
Mirna Batistić, Rade Garić ,Marijana Hure
Diel vertical distribution of zooplankton biomass in the open southern Adriatic (Mediterranean Sea). In: Stepnowski, P. (ed.), Book of Abstracts of the 55th European Marine Biology Symposium, September 19-23, Gdańsk (Poland) (poster presentation)
https://embs55.ug.edu.pl/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Book_of_abstract.pdf
Abstract
Zooplankton play an important role in the trophic dynamics of the deep open southern Adriatic. Detailed vertical and temporal distribution of zooplankton biomass were evaluated during the all seasons (2021/2022) at eight layers from 0 to 1200m depth during the day and the night using open-closing Nansen net (250 µm mesh size) hauls at the open southern Adriatic station. Average zooplankton biomass ranged from 0.19 - 21.34 mgm−3 by day and 0.18 - 34.02 mgm−3 by night and was differed by seasons and sampling layers. During the night, maximal values were in epipelagic layer while during the day maximal values were below 200 m, except in April. Zooplankton biomass was 1.5 to 3.0 times higher at night than during the day. These differences might be in connection with larger and faster zooplankton species which came to the surface in swarms during the night while during the day they were deeper and dispersed throughout the water column and net was not so effective to catch them.
Mirna Batistić, Rade Garić
Seasonal variability of Sagitta lyra (Chaetognatha) vertical distribution of abundance and biomass in the open southern Adriatic (East Mediterranean)
ICES Annual Science Conference (ASC), September 6-10, 2021, Online
(oral presentation)
Abstract
Chaetognaths comprise a phylum of marine organisms which is considered among the most important zooplankton groups, as they are often second in abundance after copepods in the mesozooplankton. Some basic aspects of chaetognath distribution and biology particularly for meso- and bathypelagic species are not well known in the Mediterranean Sea as well as other seas and oceans. Vertical distribution of Sagitta lyra abundance and biomass were studied at open-sea stations from surface to 1200 m depth in the northern part of the South Adriatic Pit during four seasonal cruises in 2019/2020. S. lyra displayed ontogenetic vertical distributions, with older stages occurring at greater depth. They were more abundant in the upper 100 m, their abundance decreased conspicuously with depth, and were captured only rarely between 600 and 1200 m. Increase in abundance and biomss were found in early spring after winter convective events and early summer in time of intensive reproduction. Mean carbon and nitrogen content (as a percentage of dry weight) among maturity stages varied from 21.2 to 36.1% and 6.1 and 8.6% respectively. Higher values were recorded in greather depths where they consumed prey at high rates and where the contribution of older specimens increased.
Keywords: zooplankton, chaetognatha, abundance, biomass, vertical distribution, ontogenetic distribution
Mirna Batistić, Rade Garić, Marijana Hure
Impact of the winter convective event on gelatinous zooplankton in the open southern Adriatic
EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria (poster presentation)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-12875
Abstract
The southern Adriatic is the deepest part of the Adriatic Sea (1242 m) and one of three sites of open-sea deep convection in the Mediterranean. By analyzing zooplankton samples taken in the open southern Adriatic in winter and spring/summer 2021 we investigated effect of winter vertical mixing on distribution of gelatinous zooplankton. During the convection time in winter, gelatinous zooplankton abundance was low and unusual vertical distribution for some species was occurred. In the spring-summer time an increase in gelatinous zooplankton abundance in upper and deeper layer was registered. This is probably related to the early spring phytoplankton bloom enhanced by nutrient input into euphotic zone due to winter mixing phase. As a consequence of this event, there is also availability of more food for deep-sea gelatinous organisms.
1st cruise, 25 - 26 June 2020: Nets samples, Niskin bottle samples and CTD-profiles (CTD multiparametric probe) were taken at investigated depths and layers, throughout day-night, R/V Naše More.
2nd cruise, 18 -19 December 2020: Niskin bottle samples and CTD-profiles (CTD multiparametric probe)were taken at investigated depths and layers, throughout day-night, R/V Palagruža.
3rd cruis, 17 -19 February 2021: Niskin bottle samples and CTD-profiles (CTD multiparametric probe) were taken at investigated depths and layers, throughout day-night, R/V Naše More.
Field investigations (cruises) by research vessel Naše more (University of Dubrovnik):
2021.
1st Cruise, June 07-09, 2021: Nets samples, Niskin bottlesamples and CTD-profiles (CTD multiparametric probe) were taken at investigateddepths and layers, throughout day-night, R/V Naše More.
2nd Cruise, August 23, 2021: CTD-profiles (CTD multiparametric probe) weretaken at investigated depths and layers. Zooplankton samples were taken.Jelly-co zooplankton recording was taken, R/V Naše More.
3rd Cruise, September 9-11, 2021:Nets samples, Niskin bottlesamples and CTD-profiles (CTD multiparametric probe) were taken at investigateddepths and layers, throughout day-night, R/V Naše More.
4th Cruise, October 20, 2021: CTD-profiles (CTD multiparametric probe) weretaken at investigated depths and layers. Zooplankton samples were taken.
5th Cruise, December 22-24, 2021: Nets samples, Niskin bottle samples andCTD-profiles (CTD multiparametric probe) were taken at investigated depths andlayers, throughout day-night, R/V Naše More.
2022.
6th Cruise, March 3-4, 2022: Nets samples, Niskin bottle samples andCTD-profiles (CTD multiparametric probe) were taken at investigated depths andlayers, throughout day-night, R/V Naše More.
7th Cruise, April 13-15, 2022: Nets samples, Niskin bottle samples andCTD-profiles (CTD multiparametric probe) were taken at investigated depths andlayers, throughout day-night, R/V Naše More.
8th Cruise, June 28-29, 2022: Nets samples, Niskin bottle samples andCTD-profiles (CTD multiparametric probe) were taken at investigated depths andlayers, throughout day-night, R/V Naše More.
7th Cruise, July 04-05, 2022: Nets samples, Niskin bottle samples andCTD-profiles (CTD multiparametric probe) were taken at investigated depths andlayers, throughout day-night, Jelly-co and BlueRov zooplankton recording wastaken, R/V Naše More.
