The Northern Adriatic Sea
397
the little harbour of Piran in 1990 to 1992 and totally disappeared later.
Further examples of year to year variations are the prolific growth
Chylocladia verticillata and Lomentaria clavellosa during spring of the
last 2 years, the appearance of Acinetospora crinita in the lower sublittoral, where it covers other macro-algae with dense mats in the spring,
and finally the appearance of Diatoms and Cyanobacteria, which interrupt macro algal stands (e.g. Licmophora gracilis mats in the eulittoral,
patches of Oscillatoria and Lyngbya in the eulittoral and upper sublittoral and Spirulina mats in the lower sublittoral). An interruption of the
macrophytobenthos by microphytobenthos is thus a further characteristic feature of pollution- and eutrophication-induced changes during the
last few years. Although it is not possible to relate these changes directly
to certain environmental parameters, we might safely assume that the
benthic algal vegetation of this area reflects the history of nutrient input
by sewage as well as other biotic and abiotic factors in the unstable
environment of the northern Adriatic shelf.
Acknowledgments. The author is grateful to Dr. Milan Orozen-Adamic,
Mr. Marjan Richter and members of the diving club, Piran, for their help
during the fieldwork.
References
Bokn T, Lein TE (1978) Long-term changes in fucoid associations of the inner Oslofjord,
Norway. Norw J Bot 15: 9-14
Borowitzka MA (1972) Intertidal algal species diversity and the effects of pollution. Aust J
Mar Freshw alter Res 23: 73-74
Breuer G, Schramm W (1988) Changes in macroalgal vegetation in the Kiel Bight (western Baltic Sea) during the past 20 years. Kiel Meeresf. Orsolv Sonderheft 6: 241-255
Buljan M, Zore-Armanda M (1979) Hydrographic properties of the Adriatic Sea in the
period from 1965 through 1970. Acta Adriat 20: 1-368
Chiaudani G, Vighi M (1982) Multistep approach to identification of limiting nutrients in
the northern Adriatic eutrophied coastal waters. Water Res 16: 1161-1166
Cormaci M, Furnari G (1991) Phytobenthic communities as monitor of the environmental conditions of the Brindisi coastline. Oebalia 17 Suppl: 223-235
Degobbis D (1989) Increased eutrophication of the northern Adriatic Sea - 2nd act. Mar
Poll Bull 20: 452-457
Degobbis D, Smodlaka N, Pojed I, Skrivanic A, Precali R (1979) Increased eutrophication
of the northern Adriatic Sea. Mar Poll Bull 10: 298-301
Edwards P (1972) Benthic algae in polluted estuaries. Mar Poll Bull 3: 55-60
Edwards P (1975) An assessment of possible pollution effects over a century on the
benthic marine algae of Co. Durham, England. J Linn Soc Bot 109: 269-305
Ercegovic A (1952) Jadranske cistozire. Split. Fauna Flora Jadrana 2: 1-212
397
the little harbour of Piran in 1990 to 1992 and totally disappeared later.
Further examples of year to year variations are the prolific growth
Chylocladia verticillata and Lomentaria clavellosa during spring of the
last 2 years, the appearance of Acinetospora crinita in the lower sublittoral, where it covers other macro-algae with dense mats in the spring,
and finally the appearance of Diatoms and Cyanobacteria, which interrupt macro algal stands (e.g. Licmophora gracilis mats in the eulittoral,
patches of Oscillatoria and Lyngbya in the eulittoral and upper sublittoral and Spirulina mats in the lower sublittoral). An interruption of the
macrophytobenthos by microphytobenthos is thus a further characteristic feature of pollution- and eutrophication-induced changes during the
last few years. Although it is not possible to relate these changes directly
to certain environmental parameters, we might safely assume that the
benthic algal vegetation of this area reflects the history of nutrient input
by sewage as well as other biotic and abiotic factors in the unstable
environment of the northern Adriatic shelf.
Acknowledgments. The author is grateful to Dr. Milan Orozen-Adamic,
Mr. Marjan Richter and members of the diving club, Piran, for their help
during the fieldwork.
References
Bokn T, Lein TE (1978) Long-term changes in fucoid associations of the inner Oslofjord,
Norway. Norw J Bot 15: 9-14
Borowitzka MA (1972) Intertidal algal species diversity and the effects of pollution. Aust J
Mar Freshw alter Res 23: 73-74
Breuer G, Schramm W (1988) Changes in macroalgal vegetation in the Kiel Bight (western Baltic Sea) during the past 20 years. Kiel Meeresf. Orsolv Sonderheft 6: 241-255
Buljan M, Zore-Armanda M (1979) Hydrographic properties of the Adriatic Sea in the
period from 1965 through 1970. Acta Adriat 20: 1-368
Chiaudani G, Vighi M (1982) Multistep approach to identification of limiting nutrients in
the northern Adriatic eutrophied coastal waters. Water Res 16: 1161-1166
Cormaci M, Furnari G (1991) Phytobenthic communities as monitor of the environmental conditions of the Brindisi coastline. Oebalia 17 Suppl: 223-235
Degobbis D (1989) Increased eutrophication of the northern Adriatic Sea - 2nd act. Mar
Poll Bull 20: 452-457
Degobbis D, Smodlaka N, Pojed I, Skrivanic A, Precali R (1979) Increased eutrophication
of the northern Adriatic Sea. Mar Poll Bull 10: 298-301
Edwards P (1972) Benthic algae in polluted estuaries. Mar Poll Bull 3: 55-60
Edwards P (1975) An assessment of possible pollution effects over a century on the
benthic marine algae of Co. Durham, England. J Linn Soc Bot 109: 269-305
Ercegovic A (1952) Jadranske cistozire. Split. Fauna Flora Jadrana 2: 1-212