Giancarlo Albertelli

Publications of Giancarlo Albertelli

• Macro- and meiofaunal community features in the critical environmental system of a tourist harbour (Rapallo, Ligurian Sea, NW Mediterranean).

  Authors: Anabella Covazzi Harriague, Giancarlo Albertelli, Cristina Misic

  Marine environmental research. 03/2012; 74:64-72.

  Two samplings were carried out in a tourist harbour, during low and high touristic activity periods, to study the macro- and meiofaunal communities in relation to the environmental features. ATwo samplings were carried out in a tourist harbour, during low and high touristic activity periods, to study the macro- and meiofaunal communities in relation to the environmental features. A multivariate analysis showed close relationships: the maritime traffic disturbance and the food quality and availability drive the spatial differences of the assemblages, dividing the area into three sub-areas: the area near the Boate torrent that empties into the harbour, the harbour proper, and the external area (just outside the harbour). Macro- and meiofauna showed notably different temporal trends, indicating competition for the resources and the higher sensitivity of the macrofauna to environmental pressures. The macrofauna strongly decreased as a response to heavier harbour activities, with increasing turbidity also affecting the external station outside the harbour. Finally, comparing the macrofaunal communities to those sampled in the same area 10 years before, we found that their abundance, richness and biomass had notably decreased, highlighting the worsening of the harbour environment due to the increased organic load and turbidity.

• Legal protection is not enough: Posidoniaoceanica meadows in marine protected areas are not healthier than those in unprotected areas of the northwest Mediterranean Sea.

  Authors: Monica Montefalcone, Giancarlo Albertelli, Carla Morri, Valeriano Parravicini, Carlo Nike Bianchi

  Marine pollution bulletin. 02/2009;

  Using the Conservation Index, which measures the proportional amount of dead matte relative to live Posidonia oceanica, we assessed the health of 15 P. oceanica meadows at a regional scale along theUsing the Conservation Index, which measures the proportional amount of dead matte relative to live Posidonia oceanica, we assessed the health of 15 P. oceanica meadows at a regional scale along the coast of Liguria (NW Mediterranean). These areas were characterized by different degrees of anthropization, from highly urbanized sites to marine protected areas. Two different scenarios were identified according to depth: in shallow zones, the health of P. oceanica meadows was related to the degree of anthropization along the coastline. In contrast, in deep zones, most meadows exhibited poor health, independent of both the degree of disturbance and the legal measures protecting the area. Working synergistically with the regional impact of increased water turbidity, local impacts from the coast were recognized as the main causes of the severe regression of most Ligurian P. oceanica meadows. We conclude that marine protected areas alone are not sufficient to guarantee the protection of P. oceanica meadows. We emphasize the need for a management network involving the Sites of Community Interest (SCIs) containing P. oceanica meadows.

• BACI design reveals the decline of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica induced by anchoring.

  Authors: Monica Montefalcone, Mariachiara Chiantore, Alessio Lanzone, Carla Morri, Giancarlo Albertelli, Carlo Nike Bianchi

  Marine pollution bulletin. 08/2008;

  The key species Posidonia oceanica is the dominant endemic seagrass in the Mediterranean Sea and its meadows are considered as one of the most important and productive ecosystems in coastal waters.The key species Posidonia oceanica is the dominant endemic seagrass in the Mediterranean Sea and its meadows are considered as one of the most important and productive ecosystems in coastal waters. Covering the seabed from the surface down to about 40m, meadows of P. oceanica are often affected by mechanical direct damages caused by boat anchoring and mooring activities. Negative effects of these activities have been shown to be recorded by P. oceanica at two different levels: the individual level (phenology of the plant) and the population level (structure of the meadow). We investigated the effect of an anchoring chain system on the P. oceanica meadow of Prelo cove (NW Mediterranean Sea) at two different depths (shallow, deep) and at three different situations of P. oceanica bottom cover (high, medium, low). Several standardized descriptors of the meadow health, working either at the individual or at the population level, were analysed in order to quantify the impact of the deployment of the chain system. A symmetrical BACI design was adopted to detect the impact, where multiple disturbed sites were contrasted with multiple controls in two distinct times, i.e. right few days after the chain settling (early) and 4 months later the disturbance (late). The anchoring chain system has been shown to strongly affect the meadow in terms of shoot density decline and rhizome baring, especially in the deep portions and where the cover of the meadow was low. All descriptors working at the population level proved effective in detecting the impact of the anchoring system. In contrast, descriptors working at the individual level did not show a consistent response to the impact. Our results pointed out the imperative necessity to proper regulate the boat anchoring and mooring activities on the P. oceanica meadows and the adoption of seagrass friendly mooring technology is thus recommended.

• Vibrios in association with sedimentary crustaceans in three beaches of the northern Adriatic Sea (Italy).

  Authors: A Covazzi Harriague, Marco Di Brino, Massimiliano Zampini, Giancarlo Albertelli, Carla Pruzzo, Cristina Misic

  Marine pollution bulletin. 04/2008; 56(3):574-9.

  In the marine environment, vibrios adhere to a number of substrates including chitin-rich organisms such as crustaceans. Their wide diffusion in coastal waters and pathogenic potential requireIn the marine environment, vibrios adhere to a number of substrates including chitin-rich organisms such as crustaceans. Their wide diffusion in coastal waters and pathogenic potential require knowledge of the lifestyle and environmental reservoirs of these bacteria. To test the presence of culturable vibrios in coastal areas and their association with benthic crustaceans, vibrios were isolated from water, sediments and crustaceans (copepods and anphipods) at three stations placed in front of heavily used tourist beaches of the Adriatic Sea. We observed significant correlations between vibrios and temperature. Benthic and planktonic copepods harboured vibrios in summer, while benthic amphipods harboured these bacteria in spring and autumn. Vibrio alginolyticus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains gave positive results using primers for Vibrio cholerae toxR and toxS. Sedimentary crustaceans may extend Vibrio persistence in seawater and may represent an additional aquatic reservoir of these bacteria.

• Urban seagrass: status of Posidonia oceanica facing the Genoa city waterfront (Italy) and implications for management.

  Authors: Monica Montefalcone, Giancarlo Albertelli, Carla Morri, Carlo Nike Bianchi

  Marine pollution bulletin. 03/2007; 54(2):206-13.

  A system of five adjacent Posidonia oceanica meadows facing the waterfront of Genoa city (Ligurian Sea, NW Mediterranean) was investigated over different spatial scales (meters-kilometers) usingA system of five adjacent Posidonia oceanica meadows facing the waterfront of Genoa city (Ligurian Sea, NW Mediterranean) was investigated over different spatial scales (meters-kilometers) using three environmental indices: conservation index (CI), substitution index (SI) and phase-shift index (PSI). CI revealed differences mostly at large spatial scale, distinguishing the poor condition of the meadows closest to Genoa centre and harbour from the comparatively healthy condition of the farthest meadows. SI showed differences mostly at small spatial scale (i.e., within meadows), suggesting the influence of local factors in the re-colonisation of regressed meadows by the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa and/or the invasive alga Caulerpa racemosa. Mapping of PSI showed that the meadows closest to Genoa centre and harbour have undergone a nearly total phase shift and have no real potential for recovery: attempts to re-establish P. oceanica there might be a waste of time and money. On the contrary, the meadows farthest from Genoa centre and harbour showed a comparatively low level of phase shift and could still fully recover given specific management actions.

• Vibrios in association with sedimentary crustaceans in three beaches of the northern Adriatic Sea (Italy)

  Authors: A. Covazzi Harriague, Marco Di Brino, Massimiliano Zampini, Giancarlo Albertelli, Carla Pruzzo, Cristina Misic

  Marine Pollution Bulletin.

  In the marine environment, vibrios adhere to a number of substrates including chitin-rich organisms such as crustaceans. Their wide diffusion in coastal waters and pathogenic potential requireIn the marine environment, vibrios adhere to a number of substrates including chitin-rich organisms such as crustaceans. Their wide diffusion in coastal waters and pathogenic potential require knowledge of the lifestyle and environmental reservoirs of these bacteria. To test the presence of culturable vibrios in coastal areas and their association with benthic crustaceans, vibrios were isolated from water, sediments and crustaceans (copepods and anphipods) at three stations placed in front of heavily used tourist beaches of the Adriatic Sea. We observed significant correlations between vibrios and temperature. Benthic and planktonic copepods harboured vibrios in summer, while benthic amphipods harboured these bacteria in spring and autumn. Vibrio alginolyticus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains gave positive results using primers for Vibrio cholerae toxR and toxS. Sedimentary crustaceans may extend Vibrio persistence in seawater and may represent an additional aquatic reservoir of these bacteria.

• Size matters more than method: Visual quadrats vs photography in measuring human impact on Mediterranean rocky reef communities

  Authors: Valeriano Parravicini, Carla Morri, Giada Ciribilli, Monica Montefalcone, Giancarlo Albertelli, Carlo Nike Bianchi

  Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science.

  The performances of two commonly used non-destructive sampling procedures for rocky benthic assemblages (i.e. photography and visually assessed quadrats) were compared. A damaging human activity,The performances of two commonly used non-destructive sampling procedures for rocky benthic assemblages (i.e. photography and visually assessed quadrats) were compared. A damaging human activity, date mussel (Lithophaga lithophaga) harvesting (DMH), was chosen. Directly impacted sites were compared with reference conditions (controls). Both visual quadrats and photography were equally able to detect differences between impacted situations and controls. However, visual quadrats showed high variability among replicates and estimated higher species richness for controls, while photography did so for impacts. Pooling photos in a ‘sum photo quadrat’ showed that differences between the two methods are due to sampling unit size rather than sampling procedure itself. As a small sampling unit is unavoidable with photography, visual quadrats should be preferred in investigating shallow rocky reefs for their larger size; however, longer working time underwater with quadrats does not allow for numerous replicates. Pooling many photos to reach sampling sizes comparable with those of quadrats may be a valid alternative to reconcile image resolution and areal coverage.

• Human influence on seagrass habitat fragmentation in NW Mediterranean Sea

  Authors: Monica Montefalcone, Valeriano Parravicini, Matteo Vacchi, Giancarlo Albertelli, Marco Ferrari, Carla Morri, Carlo Nike Bianchi

  Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science.

  Habitat fragmentation in meadows of Posidonia oceanica, the most important and abundant seagrass in the Mediterranean Sea, was investigated at a region-wide spatial scale using a synthetic ecologicalHabitat fragmentation in meadows of Posidonia oceanica, the most important and abundant seagrass in the Mediterranean Sea, was investigated at a region-wide spatial scale using a synthetic ecological index, the Patchiness Index (PI). We tested the hypothesis that human impacts are the major factor responsible for habitat fragmentation in P. oceanica meadows contrasting fragmentation of meadows located in “anthropized” areas with that of meadows located in areas with low anthropization and considered as virtually “natural”. We also related fragmentation of meadow with the morphodynamic state of the submerged beach (i.e. distinctive types of beach produced by the topography, the wave climate and the sediment composition) in order to investigate the influence of one natural component on the seagrass meadow seascape. Results demonstrated that fragmentation in the P. oceanica meadows is strongly influenced by the human component, being lower in natural meadows than in anthropized ones, and that it is little influenced by the morphodynamic state of the coast. The use of landscape approaches to discriminate natural disturbance from human impacts that affect seagrass meadows is thus recommended for the proper management of coastal zones.

• Legal protection is not enough: Posidoniaoceanica meadows in marine protected areas are not healthier than those in unprotected areas of the northwest Mediterranean Sea

  Authors: Monica Montefalcone, Giancarlo Albertelli, Carla Morri, Valeriano Parravicini, Carlo Nike Bianchi

  Marine Pollution Bulletin.

  Using the Conservation Index, which measures the proportional amount of dead matte relative to live Posidonia oceanica, we assessed the health of 15 P. oceanica meadows at a regional scale along theUsing the Conservation Index, which measures the proportional amount of dead matte relative to live Posidonia oceanica, we assessed the health of 15 P. oceanica meadows at a regional scale along the coast of Liguria (NW Mediterranean). These areas were characterized by different degrees of anthropization, from highly urbanized sites to marine protected areas. Two different scenarios were identified according to depth: in shallow zones, the health of P. oceanica meadows was related to the degree of anthropization along the coastline. In contrast, in deep zones, most meadows exhibited poor health, independent of both the degree of disturbance and the legal measures protecting the area. Working synergistically with the regional impact of increased water turbidity, local impacts from the coast were recognized as the main causes of the severe regression of most Ligurian P. oceanica meadows. We conclude that marine protected areas alone are not sufficient to guarantee the protection of P. oceanica meadows. We emphasize the need for a management network involving the Sites of Community Interest (SCIs) containing P. oceanica meadows.