Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

PC11 Human Activities and Aquatic Ecosystems

Date: Thursday, February 15, 2001

Location: Southwest Hall

Aleffi, I, F, Marine Biology Laboratory, Trieste, Italy, aleffi@univ.trieste.it

Bettoso, N, , Marine Biology Laboratory, Trieste, Italy, bettoso@univ.trieste.it

Tamberlich, F, , Marine Biology Laboratory, Trieste, Italy, tamberlich@univ.trieste.it

Fonda Umani, S, , Marine Biology Laboratory, Trieste, Italy, labbioma@univ.trieste.it

EFFECTS OF SUSPENDED MUSSEL CULTURE ON BENTHIC COMMUNITIES IN THE GULF OF TRIESTE, NORTHERN ADRIATIC SEA, ITALY

Mussel farms of Mytilus galloprovincialis in hanging longlines is the main mariculture activity in the Gulf of Trieste, where it has been carried on for more than 30 years. The effects of suspended mussel culture were examined on the benthic community structure and the organic carbon content below the cultures and in a reference site. Sampling was monthly carried out between May 1998 and April 1999. Abundance and total species number of macrofauna was similar in the two sites. Biomass was higher under the mussel culture with mean value of 41.7 g ash-free dry weight m-2 compared with 25.3 g AFDW m-2 at the reference site. The Abundance/Biomass Comparison (ABC) method did not indicate any impact on the mussel site, whereas cluster analysis and Multi-dimensional scaling ordination provided a clear separation between the sites. The organic carbon and the nitrogen concentration were higher below the mussel lines than at the refence site. The presence of suspended cultures induced only slight modifications, because organic enrichment was not so intense to induce any severe change in the benthic community.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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