To gather information on the interactions between the sediment and suspended organic matter pools in the Stagnone di Marsala, water and sediment samples were collected, on a monthly basis, at 11 stations. Water temperature and salinity showed a clear seasonality whilst particulate and sediment organic matter did not show any clear seasonal pattern. Relative abundances of suspended and sediment organic matter, on the other hand, appeared to be site-dependent and controlled mainly by the dynamic balance between resuspension and sedimentation. High quantities of both suspended and sediment total organic matter were present, while very low algal biomasses (in terms of chlorophyll-a concentrations) were observed both in the suspended and sediment pools thus showing the oligotrophy of the site. The contribution of phytoplankton and microphytobenthos to the total organic content of suspended and sediment matter was negligible. The low food availability of organic matter in the Stagnone di Marsala Sound may explain the low abundance of suspension-feeding molluscs, which are substituted by limnovore and detritivore species.

Relationships between suspended and sediment organic matter in a semi-enclosed marine system: the Stagnone di Marsala Sound (Western Sicily)

PUSCEDDU, ANTONIO;
1997-01-01

Abstract

To gather information on the interactions between the sediment and suspended organic matter pools in the Stagnone di Marsala, water and sediment samples were collected, on a monthly basis, at 11 stations. Water temperature and salinity showed a clear seasonality whilst particulate and sediment organic matter did not show any clear seasonal pattern. Relative abundances of suspended and sediment organic matter, on the other hand, appeared to be site-dependent and controlled mainly by the dynamic balance between resuspension and sedimentation. High quantities of both suspended and sediment total organic matter were present, while very low algal biomasses (in terms of chlorophyll-a concentrations) were observed both in the suspended and sediment pools thus showing the oligotrophy of the site. The contribution of phytoplankton and microphytobenthos to the total organic content of suspended and sediment matter was negligible. The low food availability of organic matter in the Stagnone di Marsala Sound may explain the low abundance of suspension-feeding molluscs, which are substituted by limnovore and detritivore species.
1997
Chloroplastic pigments, Mediterranean sound, Sediment organic matter, Suspended matter, Trophic relationships
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11584/123636
 Attenzione

Attenzione! I dati visualizzati non sono stati sottoposti a validazione da parte dell'ateneo

Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 17
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 17
social impact