CHAPTER 32
Spring Marine Vegetation on Rocky Substrata of the Tremiti Islands
(Adriatic Sea, Italy)
M. Connaci, G. Furnari, G. Alongi, M. Calm, F. Pizzuto, and D. Serio
ABSTRACT
Spring aspect ofthe benthic marine communities on rocky substrata from midlittoral to circalittoral zones of the Tremiti Islands (Adriatic Sea) is described. From a comparison with literature
data the disappearance of species characterising well structured infralittoral photophilic communities on rocky substrata like Cystoseira spp. and Sargassum spp., resulted. This finding led us
to suppose that a considerable structural deterioration of phytobenthic communities has
occurred during the last three decades, probably because of an increase of water turbidity.
Introduction
The Tremiti Islands are a small archipelago situated in the Southern Adriatic Sea at a distance of
about 22 km from the Italian coast (Fig. 1). There
Fig. 1. Map of the Tremiti Islands
with sampling sites
are three main islands: St Domino (2.08 km2), St
Nicola (0.41 km 2 ), Caprara (0.44 km 2 ) and an
islet named Cretaccio (0.03 km 2 ). The islands are
composed almost exclusively of Eocene
dolomitic organic limestones and calcareous
Dipartimento di Botanies, Universita di Catania, Via A. Longo 19,95125 Catania, Italy
F.M. Faranda, L. Guglielmo, G. Spezie (eds)
Mediterranean Ecosystems: Structures and Processes
@ Springer-Verlag Italia 2001
Spring Marine Vegetation on Rocky Substrata of the Tremiti Islands
(Adriatic Sea, Italy)
M. Connaci, G. Furnari, G. Alongi, M. Calm, F. Pizzuto, and D. Serio
ABSTRACT
Spring aspect ofthe benthic marine communities on rocky substrata from midlittoral to circalittoral zones of the Tremiti Islands (Adriatic Sea) is described. From a comparison with literature
data the disappearance of species characterising well structured infralittoral photophilic communities on rocky substrata like Cystoseira spp. and Sargassum spp., resulted. This finding led us
to suppose that a considerable structural deterioration of phytobenthic communities has
occurred during the last three decades, probably because of an increase of water turbidity.
Introduction
The Tremiti Islands are a small archipelago situated in the Southern Adriatic Sea at a distance of
about 22 km from the Italian coast (Fig. 1). There
Fig. 1. Map of the Tremiti Islands
with sampling sites
are three main islands: St Domino (2.08 km2), St
Nicola (0.41 km 2 ), Caprara (0.44 km 2 ) and an
islet named Cretaccio (0.03 km 2 ). The islands are
composed almost exclusively of Eocene
dolomitic organic limestones and calcareous
Dipartimento di Botanies, Universita di Catania, Via A. Longo 19,95125 Catania, Italy
F.M. Faranda, L. Guglielmo, G. Spezie (eds)
Mediterranean Ecosystems: Structures and Processes
@ Springer-Verlag Italia 2001