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Relevant scales of variability of the benthic allochthonous microalga Chrysophaeum taylorii

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Abstract

Chrysophaeum taylorii (Pelagophyceae) is an allochthonous benthic microalga recently recorded in the Mediterranean Sea. During summer, the occurrence of C. taylorii is usually visible to the naked eye due to the large amount of mucilage this species produces. Information on the spatio-temporal variability of this species and on the predictability of massive mucilage events is still scarce and requires to define ad hoc managing strategies of major bloom events. The aim of this work was to identify the relevant scales of variation in the abundance of C. taylorii abundance and to estimate the relative recurrence of its blooms, testing the hypothesis that mucilage was dependent on the cell density. The first approach was the identification of the most appropriate sampling procedure to estimate benthic cell abundance of C. taylorii. The second one was the estimation of the magnitude of variation in C. taylorii cell abundance attributable to each of several spatial (areas, sites, zones and replicates) and temporal scales (fortnights and years) in the Marine Protected Area of Tavolara Punta Coda Cavallo (Western Mediterranean Sea). The results indicate fortnight and year as the most relevant scales of variability in the cell abundance of C. taylorii and highlight the unimportance of small spatial scales (zone and replicates) to the species variability. The collected data also evidence the absence of a direct relationship between the cell density of C. taylorii and the production of mucilage. In conclusion, these results indicate that patterns in the cell abundance of C. taylorii vary notably depending on the considered scale and that future investigations on processes affecting its performance will need to consider the relevant scales of variation evidenced.

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Acknowledgments

We are sincerely thankful to Patrik Kraufvelin and to the two anonymous reviewers for improving the manuscript. We are also grateful to Luisa Polastro for the English revision. We thank Salvatore Vitale (MPA), Giovanni Macri and all the students training in the MPA over the study period for the help during the field activities This work was supported by the Tavolara Punta Coda Cavallo MPA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via S. Epifanio 14, 27100, Pavia, Italy

    Sarah Caronni

  2. Department of Science for Nature and Environmental Resources, University of Sassari, Via Piandanna 4, 07100, Sassari, Italy

    Maria Anna Delaria, Nicola Sechi & Giulia Ceccherelli

  3. Marine Protected Area Tavolara Punta Coda Cavallo, Via Dante 1, 07026, Olbia, OT, Italy

    Augusto Navone & Pieraugusto Panzalis

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  1. Sarah Caronni
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  2. Maria Anna Delaria
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  4. Pieraugusto Panzalis
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  5. Nicola Sechi
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  6. Giulia Ceccherelli
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Correspondence to Sarah Caronni.

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Communicated by P. Kraufvelin.

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Caronni, S., Delaria, M.A., Navone, A. et al. Relevant scales of variability of the benthic allochthonous microalga Chrysophaeum taylorii . Mar Biol 161, 1787–1798 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-014-2461-3

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