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Active and resting microbenthos in differently contaminated marine coastal areas: insights from the Gulf of Trieste (northern Adriatic, Mediterranean Sea)

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Abstract

Marine benthic microalgae are a promising bioindicator of contamination. To date, however, investigations on the microbenthic communities subjected to multiple stressors in natural environments are still very rare. To assess whether the benthic processes of primary production and oxygen consumption, and the structure of active and resting microbenthos, were affected by sediment contamination, seven stations were sampled in different zones of the port of Trieste, subjected to multiple and diffuse contamination, and a reference site in the Marine Reserve of Miramare. No major differences in total abundance of active microbenthos were observed among sites, but the dominance of stress-resistant species and the reduction of more sensitive ones, were registered nearby the main productive activities. The densities of resting microbenthos were higher in polluted areas, and represented by key dinoflagellate species that were clearly linked to contamination. The analysis of similarity applied to both active and resting communities significantly separated the most contaminated stations from the other ones. The photosynthetic capability of active microbenthos did not seem to be affected by contamination. The maximum oxygen consumption rates observed in sediments nearby the productive activities were likely ascribable to high organic C contents and the presence of metals in reduced chemical form.

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Acknowledgements

The activities described in this study were funded by the Project Bandiera ‘RITMARE—La Ricerca Italiana per il Mare’ coordinated by the National Research Council (C.N.R.) and funded by the Italian ‘Ministry for Education, University and Research’ within the National Research Programme 2011–2013. The activities carried out within the port of Trieste were funded by the ‘Autorità Portuale di Trieste’ (Port Authority of Trieste). We are very grateful to C. Comici for grain size and TOC analyses and to F. Varisco for contaminant data.

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  1. Manja Rogelja

    Present address: Aquarium Piran, Academic, Electronics and Maritime High School, Bolniška 11, 6330, Piran, Slovenia

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  1. Sezione di Oceanografia, Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale - OGS, 34151, Trieste, Italy

    Manja Rogelja, Tamara Cibic & Paola Del Negro

  2. CNR Istituto per l’Ambiente Marino Costiero, Talassografico “A. Cerruti”, 74123, Taranto, Italy

    Fernando Rubino & Manuela Belmonte

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Electronic supplementary material

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Online Resource 1

Floristic list and life mode of the dominant taxonomic group of the active microbenthos (diatoms) at the seven sampling sites within the port area of Trieste and the reference site C1. Supplementary material 1 (PDF 87 kb)

Online Resource 2

Relative abundance (RA) of the most abundant genera of active (a) and resting (b) microbenthos at the sampling stations in the port of Trieste and the reference site C1. The less abundant taxa are grouped in Others. N. A. = not available. Supplementary material 2 (PDF 160 kb)

Online Resource 3

Diatom abundance in surface sediments of Trieste port and the reference site C1. Supplementary material 3 (PDF 99 kb)

Online Resource 4

List of the resting microbenthos at the seven sampling sites within the port area of Trieste and the reference site C1. Supplementary material 4 (PDF 75 kb)

Online Resource 5

Registered densities of full cysts in surface sediments of Trieste port and the reference site C1. Supplementary material 5 (PDF 95 kb)

Online Resource 6

O2 concentration microprofiles estimated at the sampling stations in the port of Trieste and the reference site C1. Supplementary material 6 (PDF 112 kb)

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Rogelja, M., Cibic, T., Rubino, F. et al. Active and resting microbenthos in differently contaminated marine coastal areas: insights from the Gulf of Trieste (northern Adriatic, Mediterranean Sea). Hydrobiologia 806, 283–301 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-017-3366-1

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