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Microbeads and fragments have been widely studied, while glitter remains neglected by the literature although found in a variety product (e.g., body paints, nail polish, cosmetics, craft products). The main aim of this study was to assess the effects of different types and concentrations of glitter particles on Mytilus galloprovincialis after 7 days of exposure. The experiment was divided into a preliminary test and a confirmatory test. Our findings support the hypothesis for a link between concentration and type of glitter particles, percentage of recovery and oxidative stress in M. galloprovincialis. There was a significant correlation between particle length and percentage of particles recovered in water, suggesting that the digestive tract of M. galloprovincialis retains smaller particles more. In addition, we noted an increase in antioxidant defense induced by smaller particles. Moreover, certain types of glitter crumbled and shortened in length, resulting in higher levels of oxidative stress biomarkers. Finally, the star-shaped glitter particles had a different effect on oxidative stress biomarkers. Further studies are needed to clarify the toxic effects of glitter on aquatic organisms and to quantify its proportion to other microplastics in the environment.

Marine litter levels were measured in the stomach contents, hepatopancreas, and gonad tissues of crustacea decapod (Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896; n = 6), a widespread alien species affecting the Lesina lagoon. Results highlight a mean of 2.5 (SD = 1.6) items/animal and indicate the presence of metals fragments (13%) and plastics (13% PE; 6.7% PET) in the stomach contents of collected individuals. No microplastic particles were detected in the hepatopancreas or in muscle tissue, while microplastic fibres (nylon, rayon, polyester) were found present in female specimen gonads. The presence of synthetic fibres in the investigated species reflects the relative contamination level in this habitat type and suggests that the blue crab could be considered a model organism for evaluating the contamination status of the study area.

Transitional environments are among the richest ecosystems in the world in terms of biodiversity and productivity. Lesina lagoon is one of the largest wetlands in southern Italy and it has always represented an important fishing ground for local communities. It is exploited by small vessels using traditional fishing gears and targeting a wide spectrum of species. Local fishery is mainly based on the use of “paranza”, a traditional fishing system made up of net walls fixed on stakes and retaining devices (fyke-nets). The nets are placed shore-to-shore in north-south direction and provide a fence which convey the fish into fyke-nets positioned at regular intervals along them. Fishing activities include also the use of gillnets, trammel nets and harpoon. Despite artisanal fishing is widely recognized as a sustainable activity, it could greatly impact ecologically sensitive environments, such as Lesina lagoon, as it is characterized by a low selectivity and high efficiency. In addition, it produces a considerable amount of by-catch, including juveniles of commercial species and species without commercial value. Unfortunately, no quantitative data are to date available on the selectivity of gear used in artisanal fishing activities in Lesina lagoon and the contribution of by-catch to total captures. The present study provides a comprehensive historical review of the fishing techniques in Lesina lagoon in accord with the actions of the “CatchUpFish” (PO FEAMP, funded by the Apulia Region). The main scope is to contribute to the identification of the main determinants of the observed decline of traditional production activities and to the formulation of effective strategies for a sustainable fishery management. Increasing stakeholders awareness on the environmental consequences and reducing the by-catch by improving gear selectivity and experimenting innovative fishing gears are urgent matters for the sustainable use of lagoon resources

The blue crab Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 (Decapoda, Brachyura, Portunidae), is native to the western coasts of the Atlantic Ocean, and was first recorded in Europe in 1900 on the Atlantic coast of France; in the Mediterranean Sea, the species was reported in the 50's (but probably as early as in the 30's). Subsequently, the species has progressively expanded its distribution, and is to date recorded in most coastal areas of the Mediterranean basin. Here we present an state-ofart overview of the investigations made in the last decade to monitor the distribution of C. sapidus, assess the structure and dynamics of established populations, and to investigate its functional role in invaded food webs in terms of trophic impact on native prey, vector of parasites, and involvement in the transfer of contaminants. The results of the synthesis are contextualized within the current efforts carried out in different European countries with a focus on Italy, as regards to the actions proposed for the Lesina Lagoon (FG) in the PO-FEAMP project “Catch Up Fish”, and the national project “Ecology and Impact of the Atlantic Blue Crab in the Spanish Mediterranean Coastal Lagoons and Adjacent Waters” (ECESIS) currently under evaluation in Spain. In addition, the ongoing collaboration with the University of Regensburg (Germany) aiming at investigating the molecular phylogeny of C. sapidus to assess the connectivity of Mediterranean blue crab populations is presented. The synthesis is expected to provide a robust basis for the identification of current Mediterranean-scale knowledge voids that necessitate to be addressed to support an effective risk assessment of the species in European waters, as well as future project proposals integrating effective policies of mitigation, control, and management of the species

Transitional water ecosystems are targeted by the European Union (EU) Water Framework Directive (WFD, CE 2000/60) monitoring programs in coastal zones. Concerning sediments, activities performed for the WFD focus on a few variables concerning the biochemical composition of organic matter. Our research reports the effects of oxygen availability on the biochemical composition of organic matter in sediments to highlight levels of targeted variables in time and, according to the depth of sediment layer, both under oxygenated and anoxic conditions in a mesocosm study on sediment cores. Results provide evidence that tested factors of interest (i.e., disturbance type, oxygenic versus anoxic conditions, persistence time of disturbance, 0&ndash, 14 days, penetration through sedimentary layers, 0&ndash, 10 cm depth) are able to significantly affect the biochemical composition of organic matter in sediments. Large part of the variables considered in this study (total organic carbon (TOC), total phosphorous (TP), total sulphur (TS), Fe, carbohydrates (CHO), total proteins (PRT), biopolymeric carbon (BPC), chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) are significantly affected and correlated to the oxygenation levels and could be good early indicators of important changes of environmental conditions. Monitoring activities performed under WFD guidelines and management strategies of Mediterranean coastal lagoon ecosystems shall include the biochemical composition of organic matter in sediment to provide an exhaustive picture of such dynamic ecosystems.

Marine litter impacts oceans and affects marine organisms, representing a potential threat for natural stocks of pelagic fish species located at the first levels of the marine food webs. In 2013-2014, on a seasonal basis, marine litter and microplastics in stomach contents from Sardinia pilchardus and Engraulis encrasicolus were evaluated. Selected species are plankitivores of great ecological and commercial importance in the Adriatic Sea. Collected data were correlated to possible factors able to affect ingested levels as well as species, season of sampling, biometry and sex of animals. Almost all tested samples (80 organisms for each species) contained marine litter (over 90% of samples from both species) and also microplastics; while any meso- or macroplastics were recorded. On average, recorded items were as follows: 4.63 (S. plichardus) and 1.25 (E. encrasicolus) per individual. Sardines evidenced a higher number of microplastics characterised by a smaller size than those recorded in anchovies. For sardines, sex, Gastro Somatic Index and sampling season showed negligible effects on the number of ingested litter; conversely, anchovies showed differences related with both sex of animals and dominant colour of ingested materials with prevalence for black and blue colours.

The occurrence of the Chinese pond mussel Sinanodonta woodiana is reported for the first time in the Molise region (Southeast Italy). Details of the mussel’s invasion history in Italy are also given. A total of 24 S. woodiana specimens were collected after a long drought period in October 2017 from an emerged beach on the southwest side of the Guardialfiera artificial lake and their main morphometric features were quantified. No young individuals were found, only large adults, whose survival could ensure population subsistence in more suitable environmental conditions. The present study provides evidence of a massive die-off affecting invasive bivalves during an extreme climatic event, producing decaying biomass with negative impacts on the water quality of the lake. Further investigations of the population dynamics of this species and the environmental quality of the water body are needed to develop an appropriate management plan in relation to the ecosystem services it delivers.

The occurrence of the protozoan parasites Toxoplasma gondii and Cyclospora cayetanensis was molecularly investigated in the hemolymph, gills, stomach, hepatopancreas and gonads of the eleven invasive Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus from the Lesina Lagoon (Mediterranean Sea). Out of 11 blue crabs, 6 (54.5%) and 4 (36.4%) were found positive to T. gondii and C. cayetanenis, respectively; parasites were found only in the six females analysed, while the remaining five males resulted negative. Moreover, out of 55 tissues samples, 7 (12.7%) and 8 (14.5%) were positive to T. gondii and C. cayetanensis, respectively with hemolymph and gills being the most infected tissues. This is the first report of the presence of protozoan pathogens in wild crab species collected from a Mediterranean lagoon. The present results may provide a baseline reference on microbial infection in the species for invaded Mediterranean waters, and on the potential health risks related with its consumption if eaten raw.

An 8-year-old girl was admitted during the night in our emergency department for an acute episode of seizures. The patient underwent computed-tomography (CT) brain scan (Toshiba ® Aquilion 64-TSX-101A/HC) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scan (Philips® Achieva 1.5T). CT scan showed left frontal calcified nodules and calcified periventricular subependymal nodules. Subsequently, MRI evaluation revealed cortical and subcortical nodules that showed low signal with respect to the white matter on T1-weighted imaging sequences and high signal both in T2-weighted imaging sequences and in fluid-attenuated inversion recovery sequences. We also showed a herniation of cerebellar tonsils through the foramen magnum (Chiari malformation Type I [CMI]) with the associated hydrosyringomyelic cavity. Our report showed a rare association between tuberous sclerosis complex and CMI.

Marine pollution is known and investigated. In the case of economic exploitation of marine waters, i.e. aquaculture and recreational activities, continuous monitoring of their quality is necessary. Commercial sensors may be used for speditive water monitoring but are usually used as stand-alone systems with limited applications. In this article, after a brief review of commercial sensors as real time detectors of the relevant chemical/biological parameters, experimental data on aquaculture plants are presented. The final objective is to produce through techniques of data fusion from heterogeneous sources with a synthetic representation of the information that may be also used for early warning. Both data format and data architecture are covered.

Vessels, specifically ballast water and hull fouling, are a major vector for the introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS) in European seas. The Mediterranean is one of the world's marine regions where their invasion is heaviest. The shallow Adriatic basin is a highly sensitive area that is already experiencing its consequences. The secondary spread of NIS over a wider area through natural dispersion is a complex process that depends on a wide range of oceanographic factors. This work analysed the dataset of the BALMAS project, in whose framework twelve ports in the Adriatic Sea were subjected to a Port Baseline Survey (PBS), to estimate the natural spread of NIS organisms from their port of arrival to the wider Adriatic basin. Its findings indicate that the prevailing water circulation patterns facilitate the natural dispersal of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens (HAOP).

Changes in environmental stressors inevitably lead to an increasing need for innovative and more flexible monitoring tools. The aim of this work has been the characterization of the motility pattern of the cryopreserved sea bream semen after exposure to a dumpsite leachate sample, for the identification of the best representative parameters to be used as endpoints in an ecotoxicological bioassay. Sperm motility has been evaluated either by visual and by computer-assisted analysis; parameters concerning motility on activation and those describing it in the times after activation (duration parameters) have been assessed, discerning them in terms of sensitivity, reliability and methodology of assessment by means of multivariate analyses. The EC50 values of the evaluated endpoints ranged between 2.3 and 4.5 ml/L, except for the total motile percentage (aTM, 7.0 ml/L), which proved to be the less sensitive among all the tested parameters. According to the multivariate analyses, a difference in sensitivity among "activation" endpoints in respect of "duration" ones can be inferred; on the contrary, endpoints seem to be equally informative either describing total motile sperm or the rapid sub-population, as well as the assessment methodology seems to be not discriminating. In conclusion, the CRYO-Ecotest is a multi-endpoint bioassay that can be considered a promising innovative ecotoxicological tool, characterized by a high plasticity, as its endpoints can be easy tailored each time according to the different needs of the environmental quality assessment programs. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integrated classification maps were produced by combining sediment grain-size and hydrological data (water renewal time, WRT) from two Mediterranean lagoons, Lesina (LL) and Varano (LV), Italy. The geophysical characteristics of the two basins, derived from detailed bathymetric charts, are quite distinct: ∼30% of LL (mean depth ∼1 m) but only 3% of LV (mean depth ∼3 m) is shallower than 1 m. The sediments of both lagoons are mainly composed of mud (∼80%). A detailed multivariate analysis of grain-size data by EntropyMax classified the lagoon beds of LL and LV into five sedimentary facies. WRT data, computed by a hydrodynamic model, indicated different hydrological conditions in the two lagoons: LL showed a sharp west–east gradient, with a basin-wide average of ∼190 days, whilst LV showed a fairly uniform distribution and a higher basin-wide average (∼260 days). The distribution of sedimentary facies and water renewal times were combined in a composite map representing the distribution of environmental patterns. The approach outlined in this study can be used to improve zonation schemes by providing a hydromorphological perspective on transitional and coastal environments., This is the accepted version/post-print of the article Molinaroli, E.; Sarretta, A.; Ferrarin, C.; Masiero, E.; Specchiulli, A.; Guerzoni, S. Sediment grain size and hydrodynamics in mediterranean coastal lagoons: Integrated classification of abiotic parameters. Journal of Earth System Science 2014, 123, 1097-1114. Available online: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-014-0445-9

1 - This study related recent distribution changes in seven macroalgae taxa (Acetabularia acetabulum, Chaetomorpha linum, Cladophora sp., Gracilariopsis longissima, Spyridia sp., Ulva laetevirens, Valonia aegagrophyla) to spatial (basin) and temporal (time) trophic differences in a meso-eutrophic Mediterranean coastal lagoon (Orbetello, Italy). 2 - In July 2003 and July 2009, the coverage percentage (CP) of each considered taxon was measured in 38 stations equally distributed in the Western and Eastern lagoon basins. All data were analysed using SURFER v8.0 software along with ANOVA, ANOSIM and multivariate analyses to produce geostatistical spatial distribution maps and to estimate statistical probabilities for "basin" and "time" factors. 3 - Data from this study were integrated with data on phanerogams reported by Giovani et al. (2010) to evaluate changes occurring at a functional group level from 2003-2009 using the Ecological Evaluation Index (EEI). 4 - Observed macroalgae changes may have been due to lagoon management activities performed during the study period. The removal of direct nitrate inputs seems to have forced specie-specific shifts that were highly significant only in the Western basin. 5 - Statistically significant differences at the taxon level have been indicated for Spyridia sp. (basin and time) and Cladophora sp. (time) taxa. Other non-significant changes included a rarefaction of Chaetomorpha linumin the Western basin and Spyridia sp. in the Eastern basin, and an increase of Gracilariopsis longissima, C. linum and Valonia aegagrophyla in the Eastern basin. 6 - EEI application indicated a general improvement in water quality due to management measures applied in Western basin, whereas the Eastern basin evidences stability/slight degradation from 2003-2009.

Abra segmentum is a common and frequently abundant species in the Mediterranean coastal lagoons, playing a dominant role, both in numbers and biomass, in the infauna of these habitats and is an important food for a variety of species. 2 - The main objective of this work is to describe the renewal time of Abra segmentum in Lesina lagoon. The insurgence of hydrogen sulphide which exterminated the benthic macrofauna in an area of Lesina lagoon during July 2008 allowed us to accurately observe the re-colonization time of this bivalve. In order to achieve this aim, the population structure and spatial distribution of A. segmentum before and after the dystrophic crisis were investigated in the entire Lesina lagoon and, in detail, in the area affected by the crisis. 3 - 51 sampling units were collected in Lesina lagoon in May and October 2008, allowing to compare the situation before and after the dystrophic crisis. The length-frequency distribution showed the existence of two size groups in both May and October 2008. The individuals were counted, their individual length measured and their total wet biomass weighed. 4 - The total number of individuals decreased after the crisis in the entire lagoon, but this drop was strongly observed in the perturbed area. The length-frequency distribution showed the existence of two size groups in both May and October 2008. After dystrophic crisis, the two size groups were clearly separated and juveniles group (2-5 mm) was located in the area interested by dystrophic event. 5 - The results obtained in this study highlight the rapidity of re-colonisation of A. segmentum after the strong disturbance caused by the insurgence of dystrophic crisis. The dynamics of the population was particularly clear when considering the area affected by the dystrophic crisis. In May the population was structured as in the rest of the lagoon, but in October there was a marked difference. The insurgence of a dystrophic crisis in Lesina lagoon allowed to clearly observe the resilience of A. segmentum to environmental stress, confirming it as an r strategy species.

There has been a worldwide increase in the number of Marine Protected Areas and marine reserves over the last decade. In these areas, the protection measures adopted are related to specific management goals; nevertheless, actual knowledge of the effectiveness of the restrictions is far from exhaustive. This article aims to contribute to knowledge of the environmental quality of the marine reserves in the Tuscan Archipelago (Mediterranean central area) which is composed of seven islands at different levels of protection. A monitoring programme spanning multiple years was performed on water and sediment samples to finalise a definition of the trophic levels and the response of microbiological indicators (total heterotrophic bacteria, Actynomyces, hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria) to persistent organic pollutants (polychlorinated biphenyls, 1,1-bis-(4-chlorophenyl)-2,2-dichloroethene, hexachlorobenzene and polybrominated diphenyl ethers) was assessed. The results showed that these reserves were generally of good quality. A clear fingerprint produced by human activities along the coast and significant differences relating to the level of protection were observed. There exists the need to also consider basin dynamics when planning the protection management strategies adopted for marine reserves.