Hydromedusae of the Mediterranean Sea

Mediterranean hydromedusae can be classified in several categories: common species, widely distributed throughout the Mediterranean and rare species reported from the Pacific, Indian or Atlantic Oceans; seasonal species comprising cold-season species with a boreal affinity and warm-season species with a hot to temperate affinity; neritic and mid-ocean species; surface species and meso-, infra-, and bathypelagic species. Holoplanktonic species are known to be associated with stable hydrological conditions (offshore waters, deep waters, summer and winter homothermy), whereas meroplanktonic species are more likely to be found in more disturbed hydrological conditions (coastal waters, surface waters, spring and autumn periods of temperature fluctuation). A general pattern of medusa distribution is established based upon comparative study throughout the Mediterranean.     

Latitudinal gradients in macroalgal biodiversity in the Southwest Atlantic between 36 and 55°S

Different groups of marine benthic organisms show contrasting latitudinal patterns of biodiversity. The widely accepted paradigm of increasing biodiversity towards the tropics does not seem to be valid for macroalgal floras of the Southern Hemisphere. We compiled a database summarizing the distributional ranges of macroalgae along the coast of Argentina to test whether biodiversity decreases towards lower latitudes, as in the Pacific coast of South America, and whether breaking points in the geographical distribution can be recognized in one or more areas of the Southwest Atlantic south of 36°S. We found a clear trend of decreasing biodiversity with decreasing latitude. The interpretation of some biodiversity declines is confounded by changes in the intensity of the sampling effort. A 51% reduction in algal species richness between 42 and 41°S coincides with the boundary between the Argentine and Magellanic Zoogeographic Provinces. This sharp breaking point is related to a thermal anomaly caused by long residence times of water masses within San Matías Gulf, suggesting an upper thermal tolerance limit for most Antarctic/sub-Antarctic seaweeds. A further reduction occurs at 38–37°S. This breaking point can be explained by the disappearance of suitable hard substrata, since rocky outcrops give place to wide extensions of sandy beaches. The impoverished algal assemblage inhabiting the northern coast of Argentina is mainly related to the reduction or disappearance of the Antarctic/sub-Antarctic floristic component. This area is characterised by a predominance of widely distributed species, Chlorophytes and opportunistic filamentous or foliose algae.     

Epipelagic siphonophore assemblages associated with water masses along a transect between Chile and Easter Island (eastern South Pacific Ocean)

We analyze for the first time the spatial distribution of siphonophoresin relation to water masses along a 3750-km oceanic transectbetween the Chilean coast and the Easter Island (27° S),a sector scarcely known of eastern South Pacific Ocean. Thirty-onesiphonophore species were identified; Sulculeolaria turgidaand Vogtia glabra were recorded for the first time in this sector.The most abundant species were Muggiaea atlantica (29.2%), Eudoxoidesspiralis (24.5%) and Lensia subtilis (13.1%). Two differentsiphonophore assemblages east and west of 76 W, associated respectivelywith Subantarctic Water and Subtropical Water masses, can beused as water mass indicators. The former included the threemost abundant species, whereas the latter showed greater speciesrichness. This study provides basic knowledge on spatial distributionof siphonophores, which is important to develop future researchfocused on understanding the ecological role and biologicalprocesses driven by planktonic organisms in the southeasternPacific Ocean.     

Evidence of biogeography in surface ocean bacterioplankton assemblages

Regardless of the importance of bacterial assemblages as essential components of ecosystems, little is known about how their populations are structured. We analyzed the composition and turnover rates, based on 16S rDNA sequences, of surface water oceanic bacterial assemblages of the fraction between 0.1 and 0.8 μm along a latitudinal gradient (45°6′42′′N in the North Atlantic to 15°8′37′′S in the South Pacific) including geographic distance, temperature, chlorophyll a and salinity. Here we show that oceanic bacterial assemblages between 0.1 and 0.8 μm, can be structured by a variety of environmental interactions that include separation by distance and chlorophyll a concentration in temperate North Atlantic coastal samples and temperature in tropical Atlantic and Pacific coastal and open ocean samples. Bacterial phyla composition diverged between temperate and tropical regions. This study suggests that some bacterial assemblages could be structured both by environmental and spatial factors, while others by environmental factors alone.     

Fish otoliths from the pre-evaporitic (Early Messinian) sediments of northern Italy: their stratigraphic and palaeobiogeographic significance

The study of otolith assemblages from the pre-evaporitic Messinian deposits allows the reconstruction of a fauna of 79 taxa of which 35 could be identified at the specific level. Three of these are new: Diaphus rubus, Myctophum coppa, and Uranoscopus ciabatta. The assemblages reflect mainly a neritic environment influenced by the oceanic realm. Analysis of the global present-day geographic distribution of 42 of the recognised Messinian genera indicates that 88% of these are still living in the Mediterranean, 98% in the Atlantic and 78% in the Indo-Pacific realm. These results are in good agreement with the evolutionary trends documented for the Oligocene and Miocene teleost fauna, specifically an increase in percentage of genera inhabiting the modern Mediterranean, a very high percentage of Atlantic and Indo-Pacific genera, and a slight fall of the importance of present-day Indo-Pacific genera from the Rupelian up to the Late Miocene. Analysing the composition of the Early Messinian fauna at the level of nominal species indicates that about 53% of the species represented in the assemblages are still living in the Recent Mediterranean, and that a significant number of these were already present in the Tortonian. It is interesting that these species are mainly neritic. This seems to confirm that the close affinity of the fossil assemblage with the present-day Mediterranean neritic fauna, which was already recorded at the genus level for the Rupelian fauna, persists during the Neogene and continues until the Pleistocene.     

Marine biodiversity at the community level: zoogeography of sharks,skates, rays and chimaeras in the southwestern Atlantic

For more than a century, two major zoogeographic provinces have been proposed for the southwestern Atlantic: a warm water Argentinean Province from Rio de Janeiro (23°S, Brazil) to Valdés Peninsula (42°S, Argentina), and a cold water Magellanic Province from Valdés Peninsula to Cape Horn. This zoogeographic scheme has been recognized so far using data covering only parts of the whole geographic area. Here, we test the validity of this scheme by analyzing the distribution of sharks, skates, rays and chimaeras, using data from research cruises covering the entire area. We used cluster, similarity and dissimilarity analyses to identify species assemblages, and canonical correspondence analysis to identify the main environmental variables affecting the composition of the assemblages. The distribution of chondrichthyan assemblages strongly supports the current zoogeographic scheme and identifies a previously unknown and distinctive deep water zoogeographic unit off southern Brazil. Both, the Argentinean and Magellanic Provinces had extensive internal structure, with four and three subareas identified in each of them, respectively. These subareas correspond, with slight differences, to previously proposed zoogeographical districts within the Argentinean Province and confirm ecological differences within the Magellanic Province. Species composition had the highest correlation with depth and bottom water temperature. Since the distribution of anthropogenic disturbances in the region is uneven, different assemblages can be subjected to different impacts. Our results provide an objective basis to establish priority areas for the conservation of chondrichthyans in the southwestern Atlantic.     

Calcareous dinoflagellate cysts in surface sediments from the Mediterranean Sea: distribution patterns and influence of main environmental gradients

The distribution of calcareous dinoflagellate cysts in surface sediments from the Mediterranean Sea was quantitatively analysed. The samples contain 11 cyst species and the vegetative coccoid Thoracosphaera heimii. Cyst abundance increases towards the deeper parts of the basins and is generally higher in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Three major distribution characteristics exist: (1) different assemblages in oceanic and neritic regions, (2) little agreement with the associations of areas studied so far like the Atlantic Ocean, and (3) a unique oceanic assemblage in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. A gradual change in cyst assemblages from the western to the eastern Mediterranean Sea was observed and statistically compared with the main environmental gradients in the upper water column. Temperature, nitrate concentration and possibly salinity appear to be the most important factors controlling cyst production. Three groups containing cysts with similar environmental preferences can be distinguished: (1) an eastern Mediterranean group related to relatively high temperature and salinity but low nitrate concentration, (2) a group of more or less consistently abundant cosmopolitan species tolerating or even preferring relatively low temperature and salinity but high nitrate concentration, and (3) a group containing species that are possibly adapted to neritic environments and have probably been transported from coastal areas into the studied regions. In contrast to other calcareous plankton, calcareous dinoflagellate cysts correlate strongly with the main environmental gradients in the Mediterranean Sea, bearing a high potential for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions.     

Calcareous dinoflagellate cysts in South and equatorial Atlantic surface sediments: diversity,distribution, ecology and potential for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction

Several marine, peridiniphycidean dinoflagellate species produce calcareous cysts during their life cycle, which are relatively resistant to chemical and physical degradation and are therefore often found in large quantities in oceanic bottom sediments. Although the use of these calcareous cysts as proxies for palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic reconstructions has seen many advances over the last decade, until now only relatively patchy and regional information was available on their recent distribution patterns and ecology, especially at the species level. In this paper, comprehensive calcareous cyst diversity and distribution data have been compiled from published and unpublished work for 167 South and equatorial Atlantic Ocean surface sediments, ranging from 20°N to 50°S, and 30°E to 65°W. The main aim has been to focus on the complex, often non-linear, relationships between individual species’ distributions and the physicochemical and trophic conditions of the overlying (sub)surface waters through the use of x–y graphs of cyst abundance vs. (sub)surface water environmental parameters, and detrended correspondence analyses. Ten cyst species and the calcareous vegetative coccoid species Thoracosphaera heimii were observed in the bottom sediments, each species showing its own characteristic distribution pattern in relation to the environmental conditions of the upper water masses above them (e.g. sea surface temperature, productivity, stratification). The sensitive reactions of various species to unique combinations of environmental parameters shows that each species has its own specific ecological traits, thus rejecting the bundled use of ‘calcareous cyst accumulation’ as a general proxy for oligotrophy or stratification in future palaeoenvironmental analyses. The acquired ‘reference’ data set of this study is large and diverse enough to allow its future application in quantitative palaeoenvironmental reconstruction models, and shows that there is still an enormous reconstruction potential concealed in many fossil calcareous dinoflagellate cyst assemblages.     

Analysis of the potential geographic range of the Pacific oyster <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crassostrea gigas</Emphasis> (Thunberg, 1793) based on surface seawater temperature satellite data and climate charts: the coast of South America as a study case

Ecological niche modeling based on surface seawater (SST) and atmospheric (AT) temperature records was used to predict the potential range of distribution of Crassostrea gigas, focusing on the South American coast as a study case. In its native range, the species maintains self-sustaining populations at thermal regimes with mean SST ranging from 14.0° to 28.9°C for the warmest month and from −1.9° to 19.8°C for the coldest month of the year. Settlement is also constrained to mean AT varying between 15° and 31°C for the warmest month and between −23° and 14°C for the coldest month of the year. Latitudinal limits for the species’ distribution in South America predicted by the analysis of AT regimes were Valdivia-Chiloe Island (39.8o–42.0°S, Chile) and Pisco (13.4°S, Peru) on the Pacific coast, and San Julian port (49.3°S) (Argentina) and Garopaba-Rio Grande (28.0°–32.0°S, Brazil) on the Atlantic coast. Geographical limits of distribution predicted by analysis of SST regimes were Chiloe Island (42.0°S, Chile) and Mancora (4.1°S, Peru) on the Pacific coast, and Puerto Deseado ria (47.7°S, Argentina) and Paranaguá (25.7°S, Brazil) on the Atlantic coast. Therefore, SST regimes would expand the potential range on the Pacific coast equatorward relative to AT.     

Influence of hydrographic features on larval fish distribution during the south‐westerly monsoon in the waters of Taiwan,western North Pacific Ocean

The spatial distribution patterns of fish larvae and the relationships with hydrographic conditions in the waters surrounding Taiwan were studied in August 2004 when the south‐westerly monsoon prevailed. A total of 6566 fish larvae were identified, belonging to 80 families, 129 genera and 230 species. Cluster analysis revealed two station groups, one associated with the South China Sea Surface Current (SCSSC) and the other with the Kuroshio Current (KC). The SCSSC group was characterized by mostly coastal and neritic species, and the KC group was predominated by oceanic species. Larger fish larvae were generally more abundant in the neritic waters west of Taiwan where the SCSSC prevails than in the waters east of Taiwan where the KC prevails. The combination of chlorophyll a, zooplankton and nitrite best explained the relationship of larval fish distribution and environmental variables, implying that the distribution of fish larvae in summer was closely linked to the food source. The changing of monsoons potentially affects the succession of water masses and the transport and assemblage of fish larvae in this study area.     

Les assemblages de diatomées des niveaux infra-gypseux du bassin messinien de Sorbas (Espagne)

In the Sorbas basin, the diatomites represent one of the main sedimentary components of the Messinian together with its two marginal carbonate platforms and the central gypsum deposits. Several vertical sections were taken in the infra-gypsum diatomites from successively more distal paleogeographic areas, ranging from the reef slopes (Cariatiz) to the basin (Los Yesos, Los Molinos). A total of 88 diatom species were determined: 50 centric and 38 pennate. Characteristic assemblages were defined for each category type, revealing ecological variations. In the three sections, plankton forms represent 90 % of the diatoms, with oceanic forms dominating the meroplanktonic and neritic. Nevertheless, some levels clearly indicate a coastal environment, attesting to the carbonate platform influence which progrades toward the basin. The diatom assemblages are relatively homogeneous throughout the three sections, indicating that, before gypsum deposition, the basin was still substantially open to the ocean, with waters sufficiently warm to allow coral reef development. Nevertheless, the basin might also have experienced episodes of colder Atlantic influences.     

Multivariate statistical analysis of net diatom species distributions in the Southwestern Atlantic and Indian Ocean

Summary Vertical net haul diatom assemblages from near South Georgia, and from between Africa and Antarctica, were examined and compared. Variation among South Georgia stations was examined by principal component, cluster and canonical discriminant analyses. Diatom distributions provide evidence for at least two distinct water masses. The region north of the island is characterized by neritic, temperate diatoms and by an assemblage with low species diversity. The region south of the island is characterized by oceanic, antarctic species and relatively high species diversity. The regions are most distinct to the west of the island, intergrading east of the island. Within the north-south division, five station groupings were detected on the basis of distribution of dominant net diatoms. By comparing classical species ecological categorizations to results of principal component analysis, a neritic-oceanic factor was identified from net diatom distributions. This factor was common to both areas in spite of the fact that Biscoe and Agulhas collections were from different seasons.     

Marine biodiversity in the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of South America: knowledge and gaps

The marine areas of South America (SA) include almost 30,000 km of coastline and encompass three different oceanic domains--the Caribbean, the Pacific, and the Atlantic--ranging in latitude from 12°N to 55°S. The 10 countries that border these coasts have different research capabilities and taxonomic traditions that affect taxonomic knowledge. This paper analyzes the status of knowledge of marine biodiversity in five subregions along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of South America (SA): the Tropical East Pacific, the Humboldt Current,the Patagonian Shelf, the Brazilian Shelves, and the Tropical West Atlantic, and it provides a review of ecosystem threats and regional marine conservation strategies. South American marine biodiversity is least well known in the tropical subregions (with the exception of Costa Rica and Panama). Differences in total biodiversity were observed between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans at the same latitude. In the north of the continent, the Tropical East Pacific is richer in species than the Tropical West Atlantic, however, when standardized by coastal length, there is very little difference among them. In the south, the Humboldt Current system is much richer than the Patagonian Shelf. An analysis of endemism shows that 75% of the species are reported within only one of the SA regions, while about 22% of the species of SA are not reported elsewhere in the world. National and regional initiatives focusing on new exploration, especially to unknown areas and ecosystems, as well as collaboration among countries are fundamental to achieving the goal of completing inventories of species diversity and distribution.These inventories will allow accurate interpretation of the biogeography of its two oceanic coasts and latitudinal trends,and will also provide relevant information for science based policies.     

Late Aptian to early Cenomanian dinoflagellate cysts from Agadir Basin,southwestern Morocco: Biostratigraphy and palaeoenvironment

The Agadir Basin (Moroccan Atlantic margin) is characterized by its fossil richness, including organic-walled microfossils. The palynological analysis of the middle Cretaceous succession from the Tamzargout section and EGA.1 well reveals the presence of well-preserved and diverse assemblage, rich in dinoflagellate cysts. The assemblages contain stratigraphic marker taxa and show significant chronostratigraphic events. Based on these bioevents and on the comparison with different palaeogeographic domains, a determination of age was proposed. The biogeographic characteristics of most cosmopolitan taxa in this study confirm the establishment of new oceanic communication related to the opening of the equatorial Atlantic. The Albian-Cenomanian transition has been recognized only in EGA.1 well, whereas the Aptian-Albian transition, the early-mid Albian and the mid-late Albian have been defined in both the section and the well. The recorded associations are comparable to those of neighboring deposits and those of the Tethyian and Atlantic domains. The vertical distribution of the organic matter in the sediments of the Agadir Basin and the compilation of all palaeoenvironmental proxies allowed identifying an Albian transgression with specific palaeoenvironments in each interval. Neritic marine environments alternated with short phases of continental and oceanic influence is deduced for the late Aptian-early Cenomanian in this basin. The late Aptian-early to mid Albian recorded an outer neritic palaeoenvironment under oceanic influence; the mid to late Albian showed littoral conditions during a regressive phase fluctuating to middle to outer neritic environment; finally the late Albian-early Cenomanian transition was characterized by a middle neritic palaeoenvironment under coastal influence.     

Atlantic paleobathymetry, paleoproductivity and paleocirculation in the late Albian: the benthic foraminiferal record

Spatial distribution patterns of benthic foraminifers in upper Albian sediments from 25 DSDP/ODP sites and 31 onshore sections of the North and South Atlantic Ocean are used to generate paleobathymetric reconstructions and to identify areas of high primary production such as coastal and equatorial upwelling zones. New paleobathymetric estimates are provided for DSDP/ODP sites and onshore locations that are not situated on oceanic crust. Paleobathymetric reconstructions indicate shallow water exchange between the North and South Atlantic but show the existence of a deep-water connection between the western and eastern Tethys (>2500 m) through the Gibraltar Gateway. Strikingly, there is no evidence for a strong latitudinal gradient in deep-water benthic foraminiferal distribution during the late Albian: South Atlantic assemblages show close affinity to North Atlantic and Tethyan assemblages, exhibiting only a minor degree of provincialism. Biogeographic patterns reveal a distinct asymmetry in late Albian paleoproductivity for the North Atlantic. As for the present day, the eastern margins of the Atlantic were generally more productive than the western margins, and a belt of enhanced carbon flux export to the seafloor can be traced around the north African coast, which probably corresponded to a zone of vigorous coastal upwelling. By contrast, assemblage composition in the South Atlantic generally reflects mesotrophic to oligotrophic conditions. Benthic foraminiferal distribution patterns, thus, provide robust proxy data to test predictions from paleocirculation and paleobathymetric models for the mid-Cretaceous Atlantic Ocean and adjacent margins.     

First record of Buller’s Albatross (Thalassarche bulleri) from a fishing vessel in the south-western Atlantic Ocean off Southern Patagonia (Argentina)

Buller’s Albatross, Thalassarche bulleri, is a New Zealand breeding endemic that is frequently observed in the subtropical and sub-Antarctic South Pacific Ocean between Australia and Peru. However, in the South Atlantic Ocean, it is a vagrant, as information on its presence in this region is limited to only a few sightings. Here, we report a new record of T. bulleri in the south-western Atlantic Ocean off Argentina (55°06′13″S, 66°06′44″W) while investigating interactions between commercial fisheries and seabirds. This record provides new information about the distribution of this albatross species and its relation with fisheries outside of its regular range.     

Effects of resource pulse magnitude on nutrient availability,productivity, stability,and food web dynamics in experimental aquatic ecosystems

Oceanographic processes play a key role in influencing the structure of the marine planktonic ecosystems. Taking advantage of the quasi-simultaneous collection of a large ichthyoplanktonic dataset in different regions of the Central Mediterranean Sea (Italian/Maltese, Tunisian and Libyan waters), this study aimed at the identification of the main environmental drivers that control the structure of the larval fish assemblages. Spatial distribution and taxa composition were related to physical forcings (geostrophic currents and wind stress) and environmental conditions (bottom depth, temperature, salinity, chlorophyll-a concentration). ANOSIM and SIMPER identified contribution of fish taxa to the average Bray–Curtis dissimilarity among regions. In Italian and Libyan waters, two assemblages (neritic and oceanic) were identified, while a mixed assemblage characterized only some stations. Two neritic and one oceanic assemblages were discriminated in Tunisian waters. Random Forest classification model highlighted the essential role of the bathymetry, while Lagrangian simulations evidenced the action of the hydrodynamics in mixing neritic and oceanic assemblages in the Italian/Maltese and partially in Libyan waters. These findings highlighted the importance of the multidisciplinary approach and shed light on the potential value of the ichthyoplanktonic surveys for the assessment of the state of the marine ecosystem and the conservation of the fishery resources.     

Linking ecology with parasite diversity in Neotropical fishes

A comparative analysis was performed to seek large-scale patterns in the relationships between a set of fish species traits (body size, type of environment, trophic level, schooling behaviour, depth range, mean habitat temperature, geographical range, ability to enter brackish waters and capability of migration) and the diversity of their metazoan parasite assemblages among 651 Neotropical fish species. Two measurements of parasite diversity are used: the species richness and the taxonomic distinctness of a fish's parasite assemblage, including all metazoan parasites, ectoparasites only, or endoparasites only. The results showed that, on this scale, the average taxonomic distinctness of parasite assemblages was clearly more sensitive to the influence of host traits than parasite species richness. Differences in the taxonomic diversification of the parasite assemblages of different fish species were mainly related to the fish's environment (higher values in benthic–demersal species), trophic level (positive correlation with increasing level), temperature (positive correlation with temperature in marine ectoparasites, negative in endoparasites; positive for all groups of parasites in freshwater fishes) and oceanic distribution (higher values in fish species from the Pacific Ocean than those of the Atlantic). The results suggest that, among Neotropical fish species, only certain key host traits have influenced the processes causing the taxonomic diversification of parasite assemblages.     

The biogeography and filtering of woody plant functional diversity in North and South America

Aim In recent years evidence has accumulated that plant species are differentially sorted from regional assemblages into local assemblages along local‐scale environmental gradients on the basis of their function and abiotic filtering. The favourability hypothesis in biogeography proposes that in climatically difficult regions abiotic filtering should produce a regional assemblage that is less functionally diverse than that expected given the species richness and the global pool of traits. Thus it seems likely that differential filtering of plant traits along local‐scale gradients may scale up to explain the distribution, diversity and filtering of plant traits in regional‐scale assemblages across continents. The present work aims to address this prediction. Location North and South America. Methods We combine a dataset comprising over 5.5 million georeferenced plant occurrence records with several large plant functional trait databases in order to: (1) quantify how several critical traits associated with plant performance and ecology vary across environmental gradients; and (2) provide the first test of whether the woody plants found within 1° and 5° map grid cells are more or less functionally diverse than expected, given their species richness, across broad gradients. Results The results show that, for many of the traits studied, the overall distribution of functional traits in tropical regions often exceeds the expectations of random sampling given the species richness. Conversely, temperate regions often had narrower functional trait distributions than their smaller species pools would suggest. Main conclusion The results show that the overall distribution of function does increase towards the equator, but the functional diversity within regional‐scale tropical assemblages is higher than that expected given their species richness. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that abiotic filtering constrains the overall distribution of function in temperate assemblages, but tropical assemblages are not as tightly constrained.