articles by antonella lugliè
Advances In Oceanography And Limnology, 2014
The presence and distribution of harmful algal species were investigated along the coasts of Sard... more The presence and distribution of harmful algal species were investigated along the coasts of Sardinia in the summer of 2012. Fourteen potentially noxious taxa were identified at 74 beaches. The majority of the recovered taxa were potentially toxic and/or high biomass producers. Alexandrium taylorii, Gymnodinium instriatum, and Ostreopsis cf. ovata were the most frequent and abundant taxa, although Barrufeta bravensis reached the highest density (4.4 106 cells L1). Barrufeta bravensis, A. taylorii, and G. instriatum were responsible for intense water discoloration at two of the beaches sampled. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses supported the identification of several taxa and decisively identified B. bravensis. PCR assays increased the information available on the species distributions. The locations studied were heterogeneous in their prevailing environmental conditions and their morphodynamic profiles. Statistical analyses indicated that the distributions of harmful algal species correlated with gravel and medium-fine sand substrata. These data provide substantial knowledge on the distributions of harmful algal species on beaches, which have been poorly studied on a global scale. The apparent relationship between noxious species and grain size suggests that vegetative cells may be recruited from cyst beds in beach sediments.
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Open Journal of Marine Science, 2014
Laser induced fluorescence technique for sea water monitoring allows no-time consuming, non-invas... more Laser induced fluorescence technique for sea water monitoring allows no-time consuming, non-invasive and non-destructive controls. In this study, the performance of the new shipboard laser spectrofluorometric CAS- PER (Compact and Advanced Laser Spectrometer—ENEA Patent) for monitoring phytoplankton community composition was examined. The prototype CASPER is based on double laser excitation of water samples in the UV (266 nm) and visible (405 nm) spectral region and a double water filtration in order to detect both quantita- tive data, such as chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM), proteins-like components (tyrosine, trypto- phan), algal pigments (chlorophylls a and b, phycoerythrin, phycocyanin, different pigments of the carotenoid groups) and qualitative data on the presence of hydrocarbons and oil pollutants. Sea water samples from differ- ent depths have been collected and analyzed from August 2010 through November 2011 in the Gulf of Asinara (N-W Sardinia). Several sampling stations were selected as sites with different degree of pollution. The accuracy and the reliability of data obtained by CASPER have been evaluated comparing the results with other standard measurements such as: Chlorophyll a (Chl a) data obtained by spectrophotometric method and total phyto- plankton abundance in terms of density and class composition. Spectral deconvolution technique was developed and integrated with CASPER system to assess and characterize a marker pigments and organic compounds in situ and in vivo. Field studies confirmed CASPER system capability to effectively discriminate characteristic spectra of fluorescent water constituents, contributing to decrease the time-consuming manual analysis of the water samples in the laboratory.
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Advances In Oceanography And Limnology, 2012
In Mediterranean lagoons, macrophytes often surpass phytoplankton as the most important primary p... more In Mediterranean lagoons, macrophytes often surpass phytoplankton as the most important primary producers. Less frequently, phytoplankton dominates throughout the year, thus knowledge of its dynamics is relatively limited and scattered. In this study, we assessed over two years the dynamics of phytoplankton assemblages, including potential harmful algal species (HAS), in relation to environmental changes in the phytoplankton-dominated Cabras Lagoon (Sardinia, Italy). The lagoon was characterised by uniform spatial conditions, wide temporal variations in salinity (<3 to >40 PSU) and high nutrient availability. Phosphorus was highest in summer, possibly recycled within the system, while dissolved inorganic nitrogen increased in winter and spring due to watershed discharge. Chlorophyll a, positively correlated with nutrients and rainfall, showed a typical bimodal pattern with summer-winter blooms. Modifications in phytoplankton composition strongly correlated with extreme weather events, such as intense rainfall. This generated an abrupt salinity decrease that, combined with high nutrient availability, favoured the dominance of Cyanophyceae of reduced cell size, such as Cyanobium and Rhabdoderma species. We suggest that the prolonged and intense dominance of Cyanophyceae, added to other HAS, has a negative impact on the primary economic activities of the lagoon, such as fishery, and generally on the whole lagoon functioning.
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Atti 15a Conferenza Nazionale ASITA, Reggia di Colorno, Italia, 2011
The general objective of this research (financed by L.R. 7 of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia f... more The general objective of this research (financed by L.R. 7 of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia for the period May 2010 –May 2012) is to calibrate bio-optical algorithm for more accurate estimates of phytoplanktonic Chl-a in the Asinara Gulf (Northern Sardinia, Italy) using remote sensing data and in situ measurements. The “sea truth” values of Chl-a were obtained with the new laser spectrofluorometric apparatus CASPER (Compact and Advanced laser SPEctrometeR – Patent ENEA). CASPER permitted not only to quantify values of Chl-a but also to detect other algal pigments (phycoerythrin, phycocyanin), chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM), proteins-like components (tyrosine, tryptophan), and qualitative data on the presence of hydrocarbons and oil pollution. At the moment “sea truth” data of Chl-a were just compared to standard chlorophyll products of MODIS OC3 algorithm. In order to reach better results, the bio-optical algorithm is going to be recalibrated according to the measurements of CASPER during the next year, thus providing new estimates of phytoplanktonic Chl-a in the Asinara Gulf.
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VIE ET MILIEU / Life and Environment, 2010
Eight watercourses in North-Central Sardinia were studied between 2008 and 2009 to ascertain thei... more Eight watercourses in North-Central Sardinia were studied between 2008 and 2009 to ascertain their environmental quality and to gain insights into the requirements for their proper management. In addition to physicochemical and microbiological parameters, epilithic diatoms were analyzed at 15 stations. Data on the diatom community of each sample were used to calculate the diatom-based eutrophication/pollution index (EPI-D) and the biological diatom index (IBD). In the 21 collected samples, 153 taxa belonging to 36 genera were identified, but the diatom flora also included species that could not be determined with certainty. Most of the observed diatoms are considered cosmopolitan and were common to various sites, with Cocconeis placentula var. pseudolineata and Diadesmis confervacea among the most frequent and sometimes the most abundant taxa. Platessa hustedtii, which like Diadesmis confervacea is considered a tropical species, was recorded for the first time in Sardinia. While these species are not considered by the EPI-D proposed for use in Italian watercourses, their integration will improve the usefulness of this index in the assessment of islands of Mediterranean typology. The applicability of the EPI-D and IBD was confirmed with water quality at nearly all the considered stations ranging from mediocre to bad according to both indices. Moreover, these results were supported by physicochemical and microbiological variables and were consistent with the typology of the investigated environments.
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Plant Biosystems, 2012
The temporal variations in phytoplankton abundance and diversity were analysed from 1999 to 2009 ... more The temporal variations in phytoplankton abundance and diversity were analysed from 1999 to 2009 in Cabras Lagoon, a shallow eutrophic Mediterranean lagoon (west coast of Sardinia). It is one of the aquatic ecosystems listed in the “Marine Ecosystems of Sardinia” by the Italian Network of Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER Italy). The objectives of this work were to assess the general features of phytoplankton succession and its dynamics in relation to environmental factors along the decade 1999–2009, and to identify the main forces driving phytoplankton variability in terms of the general trends in Mediterranean transitional waters. Our results highlight several important aspects: a shift in the annual peak density from the summer–autumn season, observed in 1999–2002, to the winter–spring season in subsequent years; simultaneous reductions in chlorophyll a concentrations and cell size from 1999 to 2008; and the modification of the structure of the phytoplankton assemblages, from a more differentiated class composition in 1999–2002 to the subsequent dominance of the Cyanophyceae. Moreover, ANOSIM analysis on both abiotic and phytoplanktonic data shows significant differences among the hydrological years considered. Pearson’s correlations indicates temperature, salinity and nutrients as the environmental parameters that most influenced the phytoplankton composition and dynamics.
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La rete italiana per la ricerca ecologica a lungo termine (LTER–Italia), Curatela, Aracne Editrice , p. 197 - 208, 2012
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La rete italiana per la ricerca ecologica a lungo termine (LTER–Italia), Curatela, Aracne Editrice , p. 143 - 154, 2012
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Biologia ambientale, 2012
L’obiettivo principale di questo lavoro è stato valutare la qualità ambientale del reticolo idrog... more L’obiettivo principale di questo lavoro è stato valutare la qualità ambientale del reticolo idrografico del Rio Mannu di Porto Torres (Sardegna Nord-Occidentale), contribuendo alla conoscenza delle comunità diatomiche degli ambienti lotici della Sardegna. Vengono riportati i risultati relativi a due campagne di campionamento stagionali (luglio 2010 e gennaio 2011) effettuate in 11 stazioni su 6 corsi d’acqua. Lo studio è stato svolto utilizzando diverse tipologie d’indagine: analisi chimico-fisiche e dei nutrienti, analisi microbiologiche (Escherichia coli) ed indici diatomici (EPI-D ed NNS’). Nei 22 campioni di diatomee raccolti sono stati identificati complessivamente 167 taxa (60 generi). Per tutti i taxa rilevati sono stati elaborati gli spettri ecologici relativi a pH, grado di mineralizzazione delle acque, nutrienti e sostanza organica. Gli indici diatomici hanno evidenziato una qualità mediocre e cattiva e un disturbo fisico significativo dei corsi d’acqua, coerentemente sia con il forte grado di antropizzazione che caratterizza il bacino idrografico, chiaramente rispecchiato anche dalle altre analisi, che con gli eventi stagionali tipici dell’area mediterranea.
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TRANSITIONAL WATERS BULLETIN, 2013
The Long-Term Ecosystem Research (LTER) network, now a global reality, was founded on a combinati... more The Long-Term Ecosystem Research (LTER) network, now a global reality, was founded on a combination of long-term ecological studies, short-term experiments, and comparisons among sites and eco-domains. 2 - The LTER-Italy network was officially established as a formal member of the LTER international network in 2006, following a wider on-going process in Europe; it currently consists of 22 sites representing the main ecosystem typologies of Italy. Four coastal transitional ecosystem sites are included in the LTER-Italy network: on the northern Peninsula, these include the Venice Lagoon and the lagoons of the Po River Delta, which are characterized by a temperate climate and the influence of tides; and in the southern sector, these include the coastal ecosystems of Sardinia and the Mar Piccolo of Taranto, which are characterized by a Mediterranean climate and the absence of sensible tides. 3 - In this paper, we present and discuss three main issues: the LTER-International and LTER-Europe context, emphasising the most practical issues and activities that must be addressed for the effective organization and maintenance of LTER networks; the history, structure, and perspectives of the national LTER-Italy network; and the opportunities, strengths, and weaknesses related to participation of the LTER-Italy network in the study of coastal transitional ecosystems.
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Harmful Algae, 2013
The composition and assemblages of living dinoflagellate cysts from two estuarine bays (Alfacs an... more The composition and assemblages of living dinoflagellate cysts from two estuarine bays (Alfacs and Fangar bays) in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea were investigated, focusing on the presence and distribution of harmful species. Sediment cores were taken from 10 stations in Alfacs Bay and from 6 stations in Fangar Bay. Sediment samples from the surface (the top 1 cm) and the subsurface profile (from 2 to 5 cm depth) in selected stations, were analyzed. Sixty-two morphotypes were recovered, some of which are new reports for the northwestern Mediterranean area. Few morphotypes dominated in terms of abundance and relative percentage (e.g. the Scrippsiella trochoidea complex was the dominant and most widely distributed morphotype in each bay, reaching maxima of 163 cysts cm−3 wet sediment (ws) and 102 cysts cm−3 ws in Alfacs and Fangar bays, respectively). The assemblage in Alfacs Bay was also characterized by the presence of Biecheleria cincta (maximum 116 cysts c−3 ws), whereas the occurrence of Pentapharsodinium tyrrhenicum (maximum 37 cysts c−3 ws) was greater in Fangar Bay. Twelve morphotypes belonging to potentially toxic or noxious species were detected, with the genus Alexandrium dominating. Among the harmful species, Gymnodinium litoralis and Vulcanodinium rugosum are reported for the first time from the study areas. Furthermore, cysts of the high biomass bloom-forming species Kryptoperidinium foliaceum are reported for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea. All the harmful species, with the exception of Alexandrium minutum, showed greatest abundances in subsurface samples. Profile analysis led to the description of a new cyst morphotype belonging to the Alexandrium genus (presumably A. insuetum). Our results provide information on the presence of harmful species in the studied bays, confirming the usefulness of cyst analysis in assessment of the potential risk of harmful blooms in aquaculture areas.
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Estuaries and Coasts, 2014
The present study identified and quantified dinofla- gellate cysts in surface sediments from thre... more The present study identified and quantified dinofla- gellate cysts in surface sediments from three Mediterranean lagoons. Sediment samples were recovered from 11 stations in May 2009 at Cabras Lagoon, eight stations in May 2010 at Corru S'Ittiri Lagoon, and five stations in May 2011 at Santa Giusta Lagoon. Fifty-three dinoflagellate cyst morphotypes were identified. Sixteen species are first reports for the lagoons, and two for the Mediterranean Sea. Moreover, a new Scrippsiella species was discovered in Cabras. Seven harmful algal species were identified, primarily belonging to the poten- tially toxic genus Alexandrium. Total cyst abundance, number of morphotypes, and assemblages varied among lagoons, and each lagoon showed a distinct morphotype composition. A degree of heterogeneity was also detected within lagoon. Cabras and Santa Giusta cyst assemblages were characterised by morphotypes belonging to the autotrophic genus Scrippsiella, whereas Corru S'Ittiri assemblages showed dominance of heterotrophic morphotypes, including Protoperidinium cf tricingulatum. Differentiation among la- goons was also evident according to environmental conditions. Salinity proved to be a fundamental variable in determining total cyst abundance, morphotype number, and composition. This study was among the first to examine dinoflagellate cyst composition in coastal lagoons, especially from the Mediterra- nean region, and contributed data that increased our knowledge of cyst-producing dinoflagellates in these environments.
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Diatom Research, 2014
This study focused on expanding existing knowledge about benthic diatoms and their use as indicat... more This study focused on expanding existing knowledge about benthic diatoms and their use as indicators of biological quality and physical disturbance in six Mediterranean watercourses within the Rio Mannu di Porto Torres basin in northwestern Sardinia, Italy. Benthic diatoms were collected from 11 stations during a 1-year cycle from summer 2010 to summer 2011. The Eutrophication/Pollution Index – Diatombased (EPI-D) was used to evaluate biological quality, and the Navicula Nitzschia Surirella Index (NNS’) was used to estimate the degree of physical disturbance at each station. In addition, physico-chemical variables and Escherichia coli were measured and analyzed each month. In total, 193 diatom taxa were identified, of which 157 belonging to 57 genera were present in the counts and were used to calculate the diatom indices. Five taxa were recorded for the first time for Sardinian watercourses; of which, Amphora paraveneta Lange-Bertalot, Cavacini, Tagliaventi&Alfinito, Fallacia pygmaea ssp. subpygmaea Lange-Bertalot, Cavacini, Tagliaventi&Alfinito and Diploneis spec. (aff.?) modica Hustedt are biogeographically relevant, while Navicula kotschyi Grunow and Reimeria uniseriata Sala, Guerrero & Ferrario are of particular interest as exotic species with relatively restricted distribution. The EPI-D revealed mediocre and bad water quality for all the investigated stations, in agreement with the environmental variables and the heavy anthropogenic use of the study area. The EPI-D was effective at inferring the biological quality of the studied watercourses, although some of the species that were found (7% of the total) are not included in the method. We suggest including these species in the list to improve the performance of the index in Mediterranean rivers. A comparison between the results obtained by the EPI-D and seven other European diatom indices was made. Significant statistical correlations between the EPI-D and four of these indices were observed. The NNS’ was applied for the first time to Sardinian watercourses and it indicated a significant degree of physical disturbance at nearly all the stations, due to seasonal fluctuations in water flow, which are typical of the Mediterranean climate, combined with the effects of human activities.
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Open Journal of Marine Science, 2014
Laser induced fluorescence technique for sea water monitoring allows no-time consuming, non-invas... more Laser induced fluorescence technique for sea water monitoring allows no-time consuming, non-invasive and non-destructive controls. In this study, the performance of the new shipboard laser spectrofluorometric CAS- PER (Compact and Advanced Laser Spectrometer—ENEA Patent) for monitoring phytoplankton community composition was examined. The prototype CASPER is based on double laser excitation of water samples in the UV (266 nm) and visible (405 nm) spectral region and a double water filtration in order to detect both quantita- tive data, such as chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM), proteins-like components (tyrosine, trypto- phan), algal pigments (chlorophylls a and b, phycoerythrin, phycocyanin, different pigments of the carotenoid groups) and qualitative data on the presence of hydrocarbons and oil pollutants. Sea water samples from differ- ent depths have been collected and analyzed from August 2010 through November 2011 in the Gulf of Asinara (N-W Sardinia). Several sampling stations were selected as sites with different degree of pollution. The accuracy and the reliability of data obtained by CASPER have been evaluated comparing the results with other standard measurements such as: Chlorophyll a (Chl a) data obtained by spectrophotometric method and total phyto- plankton abundance in terms of density and class composition. Spectral deconvolution technique was developed and integrated with CASPER system to assess and characterize a marker pigments and organic compounds in situ and in vivo. Field studies confirmed CASPER system capability to effectively discriminate characteristic spectra of fluorescent water constituents, contributing to decrease the time-consuming manual analysis of the water samples in the laboratory.
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Scientia …, Jan 1, 2011
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Harmful Algae …, Jan 1, 2008
We report the first event of an intense growth of Chrysophaeum taylorii Lewis & Bryan (Pelago... more We report the first event of an intense growth of Chrysophaeum taylorii Lewis & Bryan (Pelagophyceae) on a broad section of the coast of eastern Sardinia (Tyrrhenian Sea, Western Mediterranean) during summer 2007.
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articles by antonella lugliè