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Prof. Dr. Marco Bartoli
Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability of the University of Parma

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0 Biogeochemistry
0 Nitrogen
0 Phosphorus
0 Macrophytes
0 sediments

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Nitrogen
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Short Biography

Marco Bartoli is Associate Professor at the University of Parma, where he coordinates the BeFun (Benthic Functioning) laboratory. He was involved as partner or coordinator in national and international research programmes in the field of biogeochemistry and benthic ecosystem functioning, in particular in the studies of microbial processes in surface sediments. Of particular interest are the exchange of solutes across the sediment-water interface and of dissolved gas across the water-atmosphere interface and the regulating role played by bioturbating macrofauna and macrophytes. Research themes include: -eutrophication; - primary production in aquatic environments; - bioturbation and benthic heterotrophic processes; - greenhouse gas dynamics in shallow water bodies; - interactions between microbial communities and macrophyte roots; - nutrient mass balance at different spatial scales; - the impact of aquacolture on aquatic environments.

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Letter
Published: 16 August 2021 in Limnology and Oceanography Letters
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Organic sediments are greenhouse gas and nutrient hotspots. They may display lower methane (CH4) emissions and increase nutrient retention when macrophytes and macrofauna are present, due to oxygen leakage from roots and bioirrigation. We tested this hypothesis via incubations of microcosms reproducing four treatments: bare sediment, sediment with oligochaetes, sediment with macrophytes, and sediment with both organisms. Along a 12-d experiment, CH4 ebullition in bare sediment (470 ± 13 mmol m−2) decreased by 67%, 88%, and 97% in the presence of plants, oligochaetes, and both organisms, respectively. Oligochaetes increased N2 production by ~ 200 mmol N m−2 and nitrate consumption by a factor of 4, whereas macrophytes reduced nitrogen losses by ~ 65 mmol N m−2. All treatments acted as phosphate sink. Results suggest that the maintenance of vegetation and associated macrofauna in organic sediments promotes their combined ecosystem services, resulting in significant reduction of greenhouse gas emission and nutrient release to the water column.

ACS Style

Sara Benelli; Marco Bartoli. Worms and submersed macrophytes reduce methane release and increase nutrient removal in organic sediments. Limnology and Oceanography Letters 2021, 1 .

AMA Style

Sara Benelli, Marco Bartoli. Worms and submersed macrophytes reduce methane release and increase nutrient removal in organic sediments. Limnology and Oceanography Letters. 2021; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sara Benelli; Marco Bartoli. 2021. "Worms and submersed macrophytes reduce methane release and increase nutrient removal in organic sediments." Limnology and Oceanography Letters , no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 13 July 2021 in Journal of Limnology
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Freshwater ecosystems are challenged by cultural eutrophication across the globe, and it is a priority for water managers to implement water quality monitoring at different spatio-temporal scales to control and mitigate the eutrophication process. Phytoplankton abundance is a key indicator of the trophic and water quality status of lakes. Phytoplankton dynamics are characterized by high spatio-temporal variation, driven by physical, chemical and biological factors, that challenge the capacity of routine monitoring with conventional sampling techniques (i.e., boat based sampling) to characterise these complex relationships. In this study, high frequency in situ measurements and multispectral satellite data were used in a synergistic way to explore temporal (diurnal and seasonal) dynamics and spatial distribution of Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration, a proxy of phytoplankton abundance, together with physico-chemical water parameters in a shallow fluvial-lake system (Mantua Lakes). A good agreement was found between Chl-a retrieved by remote sensing data and Chl-a fluorescence data recorded by multi-parameters probes (R2 = 0.94). The Chl-a maps allowed a seasonal classification of the Mantua Lakes system as eutrophic or hypertrophic. Along the Mantua lakes system an increasing gradient in Chl-a concentration was recorded following the transition from a fluvial to lacustrine system. There was significant seasonal heterogeneity among the sub-basins, probably due to different hydrodynamics, influenced also by macrophyte stands. High-frequency data revealed the importance of rainfall events in the timing and growth dynamics of phytoplankton, particularly for spring and late summer blooms. Combining temporal and spatial data at high resolution improves the understanding of complex fluvial-lake systems. This technique can allow managers to target blooms in near-real time as they move through a system and guide them to localized hot spots enabling timely management action in ecosystems of high conservation and recreational value.

ACS Style

Monica Pinardi; Gary Free; Beatrice Lotto; Nicola Ghirardi; Marco Bartoli; Mariano Bresciani. Exploiting high frequency monitoring and satellite imagery for assessing chlorophyll-a dynamics in a shallow eutrophic lake. Journal of Limnology 2021, 1 .

AMA Style

Monica Pinardi, Gary Free, Beatrice Lotto, Nicola Ghirardi, Marco Bartoli, Mariano Bresciani. Exploiting high frequency monitoring and satellite imagery for assessing chlorophyll-a dynamics in a shallow eutrophic lake. Journal of Limnology. 2021; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Monica Pinardi; Gary Free; Beatrice Lotto; Nicola Ghirardi; Marco Bartoli; Mariano Bresciani. 2021. "Exploiting high frequency monitoring and satellite imagery for assessing chlorophyll-a dynamics in a shallow eutrophic lake." Journal of Limnology , no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 28 April 2021 in Water
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Machine Learning (ML) is an increasingly accessible discipline in computer science that develops dynamic algorithms capable of data-driven decisions and whose use in ecology is growing. Fuzzy sets are suitable descriptors of ecological communities as compared to other standard algorithms and allow the description of decisions that include elements of uncertainty and vagueness. However, fuzzy sets are scarcely applied in ecology. In this work, an unsupervised machine learning algorithm, fuzzy c-means and association rules mining were applied to assess the factors influencing the assemblage composition and distribution patterns of 12 zooplankton taxa in 24 shallow ponds in northern Italy. The fuzzy c-means algorithm was implemented to classify the ponds in terms of taxa they support, and to identify the influence of chemical and physical environmental features on the assemblage patterns. Data retrieved during 2014 and 2015 were compared, taking into account that 2014 late spring and summer air temperatures were much lower than historical records, whereas 2015 mean monthly air temperatures were much warmer than historical averages. In both years, fuzzy c-means show a strong clustering of ponds in two groups, contrasting sites characterized by different physico-chemical and biological features. Climatic anomalies, affecting the temperature regime, together with the main water supply to shallow ponds (e.g., surface runoff vs. groundwater) represent disturbance factors producing large interannual differences in the chemistry, biology and short-term dynamic of small aquatic ecosystems. Unsupervised machine learning algorithms and fuzzy sets may help in catching such apparently erratic differences.

ACS Style

Nicolò Bellin; Erica Racchetti; Catia Maurone; Marco Bartoli; Valeria Rossi. Unsupervised Machine Learning and Data Mining Procedures Reveal Short Term, Climate Driven Patterns Linking Physico-Chemical Features and Zooplankton Diversity in Small Ponds. Water 2021, 13, 1217 .

AMA Style

Nicolò Bellin, Erica Racchetti, Catia Maurone, Marco Bartoli, Valeria Rossi. Unsupervised Machine Learning and Data Mining Procedures Reveal Short Term, Climate Driven Patterns Linking Physico-Chemical Features and Zooplankton Diversity in Small Ponds. Water. 2021; 13 (9):1217.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Nicolò Bellin; Erica Racchetti; Catia Maurone; Marco Bartoli; Valeria Rossi. 2021. "Unsupervised Machine Learning and Data Mining Procedures Reveal Short Term, Climate Driven Patterns Linking Physico-Chemical Features and Zooplankton Diversity in Small Ponds." Water 13, no. 9: 1217.

Communication
Published: 06 April 2021 in Water
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Lampreys spend their larval stage within fine sand fluvial sediments, where they burrow and act as filter feeders. Lamprey larvae (ammocoetes) can significantly affect benthic-pelagic coupling and nutrient cycling in rivers, due to high densities. However, their bioturbation, feeding and excretion activities are still poorly explored. These aspects were investigated by means of laboratory incubations of intact sediments added with ammocoetes and of animals alone. Oxygen respiration, nutrient fluxes and excretion rates were determined. Individual ammocoete incubations suggested that biomass-specific oxygen consumption and ammonium, reactive phosphorus and silica excretion were size-dependent, and greater in small compared to large individuals. The comparison of ammocoetes metabolic rates with rates measured in intact sediments revealed that ammocoetes activity decreases significantly when they are burrowed in sediments. Furthermore, results suggest that a major fraction of ammonium excreted by ammocoetes was assimilated by benthic microbes or microalgae to overcome in situ N-limitation. Alternatively, part of the excreted ammonium was oxidized and denitrified within sediments, as nitrate uptake rather increased along with ammocoetes density. Ammocoetes excreted reactive phosphorus and silica but such production was not apparent in bioturbated sediments, likely due to microbial or microalgal uptake or to immobilization in sediments.

ACS Style

Nerijus Nika; Mindaugas Zilius; Tomas Ruginis; Gianmarco Giordani; Kasparas Bagdonas; Sara Benelli; Marco Bartoli. Benthic Metabolism in Fluvial Sediments with Larvae of Lampetra sp. Water 2021, 13, 1002 .

AMA Style

Nerijus Nika, Mindaugas Zilius, Tomas Ruginis, Gianmarco Giordani, Kasparas Bagdonas, Sara Benelli, Marco Bartoli. Benthic Metabolism in Fluvial Sediments with Larvae of Lampetra sp. Water. 2021; 13 (7):1002.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Nerijus Nika; Mindaugas Zilius; Tomas Ruginis; Gianmarco Giordani; Kasparas Bagdonas; Sara Benelli; Marco Bartoli. 2021. "Benthic Metabolism in Fluvial Sediments with Larvae of Lampetra sp." Water 13, no. 7: 1002.

Journal article
Published: 16 March 2021 in Aquatic Botany
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Charophyte stands represent valuable ecosystems threatened by eutrophication-related phytoplankton and epiphyte blooms. The mechanisms allowing the persistence of charophytes in eutrophic environments are important but poorly studied. We analyzed the benthic primary production and respiration, and inorganic nitrogen (N) fluxes in a Chara contraria stand within a eutrophic estuarine system (Curonian Lagoon) via light and dark intact core incubations. Rates were contrasted with those measured in adjacent unvegetated sediments. Additionally, O2 production was measured in fragments of C. contraria and in the associated community of epiphytes, whereas O2 respiration and ammonium (NH4+) excretion rates were measured in incubation of amphipods (Pontogammarus robustoides) alone. The results from core incubations suggest high primary production and respiration within charophyte stands, resulting in pronounced daily O2 variations in the overlaying water. The incubations of charophyte fragments and associated epiphytes indicate that the latter supports a major fraction of the benthic primary production. The large production of dinitrogen in the dark indicates the occurrence of denitrification, which is suppressed in the light due to primary producers-bacteria competition. On a daily basis, the charophyte stand was a sink for inorganic N via assimilative NH4+ uptake and a dark nitrate sink via denitrification. Interestingly, active NH4+ excretion by the abundant amphipods supported nearly 40 % of the N uptake by the primary producers. We speculate that amphipods continuously feed on epiphytes growing on charophytes, favouring C. contraria persistence and recycling large amounts of N via herbivory and excretion that are immediately re-used by benthic primary producers. This grazing, excretion and assimilation loop may represent an example of macrofauna-macrophyte mutual facilitation and a mechanism easing C. contraria competition under eutrophic conditions.

ACS Style

Tobia Politi; Mindaugas Zilius; Marco Bartoli; Martynas Bučas. Amphipods’ grazing and excretion loop facilitates Chara contraria persistence in a eutrophic lagoon. Aquatic Botany 2021, 171, 103378 .

AMA Style

Tobia Politi, Mindaugas Zilius, Marco Bartoli, Martynas Bučas. Amphipods’ grazing and excretion loop facilitates Chara contraria persistence in a eutrophic lagoon. Aquatic Botany. 2021; 171 ():103378.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Tobia Politi; Mindaugas Zilius; Marco Bartoli; Martynas Bučas. 2021. "Amphipods’ grazing and excretion loop facilitates Chara contraria persistence in a eutrophic lagoon." Aquatic Botany 171, no. : 103378.

Microbiology
Published: 21 January 2021 in Frontiers in Microbiology
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The interaction between microbial communities and benthic algae as nitrogen (N) regulators in poorly illuminated sediments is scarcely investigated in the literature. The role of sediments as sources or sinks of N was analyzed in spring and summer in sandy and muddy sediments in a turbid freshwater estuary, the Curonian Lagoon, Lithuania. Seasonality in this ecosystem is strongly marked by phytoplankton community succession with diatoms dominating in spring and cyanobacteria dominating in summer. Fluxes of dissolved gas and inorganic N and rates of denitrification of water column nitrate (Dw) and of nitrate produced by nitrification (Dn) and sedimentary features, including the macromolecular quality of organic matter (OM), were measured. Shallow/sandy sites had benthic diatoms, while at deep/muddy sites, settled pelagic microalgae were found. The OM in surface sediments was always higher at muddy than at sandy sites, and biochemical analyses revealed that at muddy sites the OM nutritional value changed seasonally. In spring, sandy sediments were net autotrophic and retained N, while muddy sediments were net heterotrophic and displayed higher rates of denitrification, mostly sustained by Dw. In summer, benthic oxygen demand increased dramatically, whereas denitrification, mostly sustained by Dn, decreased in muddy and remained unchanged in sandy sediments. The ratio between denitrification and oxygen demand was significantly lower in sandy compared with muddy sediments and in summer compared with spring. Muddy sediments displayed seasonally distinct biochemical composition with a larger fraction of lipids coinciding with cyanobacteria blooms and a seasonal switch from inorganic N sink to source. Sandy sediments had similar composition in both seasons and retained inorganic N also in summer. Nitrogen uptake by microphytobenthos at sandy sites always exceeded the amount loss via denitrification, and benthic diatoms appeared to inhibit denitrification, even in the dark and under conditions of elevated N availability. In spring, denitrification attenuated N delivery from the estuary to the coastal area by nearly 35%. In summer, denitrification was comparable (~100%) with the much lower N export from the watershed, but N loss was probably offset by large rates of N-fixation.

ACS Style

Marco Bartoli; Daniele Nizzoli; Mindaugas Zilius; Mariano Bresciani; Antonio Pusceddu; Silvia Bianchelli; Kristina Sundbäck; Arturas Razinkovas-Baziukas; Pierluigi Viaroli. Denitrification, Nitrogen Uptake, and Organic Matter Quality Undergo Different Seasonality in Sandy and Muddy Sediments of a Turbid Estuary. Frontiers in Microbiology 2021, 11, 1 .

AMA Style

Marco Bartoli, Daniele Nizzoli, Mindaugas Zilius, Mariano Bresciani, Antonio Pusceddu, Silvia Bianchelli, Kristina Sundbäck, Arturas Razinkovas-Baziukas, Pierluigi Viaroli. Denitrification, Nitrogen Uptake, and Organic Matter Quality Undergo Different Seasonality in Sandy and Muddy Sediments of a Turbid Estuary. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2021; 11 ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marco Bartoli; Daniele Nizzoli; Mindaugas Zilius; Mariano Bresciani; Antonio Pusceddu; Silvia Bianchelli; Kristina Sundbäck; Arturas Razinkovas-Baziukas; Pierluigi Viaroli. 2021. "Denitrification, Nitrogen Uptake, and Organic Matter Quality Undergo Different Seasonality in Sandy and Muddy Sediments of a Turbid Estuary." Frontiers in Microbiology 11, no. : 1.

Research article
Published: 18 January 2021 in Aquatic Sciences
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Hydrological intermittency affects sediment biogeochemistry, organic carbon (OC) metabolism and carbon dioxide (CO2) emission but the study of the effects of drying is generally confined to natural ecosystems. Agricultural canals are artificial, widespread elements in irrigated floodplains, and regularly subjected to water level fluctuations. The aim of this study was to quantify the CO2 emissions along water saturation gradients in artificial canals to understand the environmental factors regulating these fluxes. CO2 measurements were performed in five replicated canals within the Po River basin (Northern Italy). In each canal we analysed three sites: (i) a spot with exposed, dry sediments; (ii) a spot with inundated, saturated sediments and (iii) a spot with an intermediate level of saturation. Besides dark CO2 flux measurements, net potential nitrification and denitrification rates were measured as proxies of sediment redox potential and due to their CO2 sink and source role, respectively. We hypothesized a site-specific regulation of CO2 emission, depending on the interplay among water saturation, sediment oxidation and organic matter content. Our results suggest that desiccation stimulates mineralization processes and CO2 fluxes, that were mainly dependant on water and organic matter content and correlated with microbial N transformations. CO2 emissions tended to increase along the considered water saturation gradients, almost tripling rates from inundated, saturated (158.2 ± 24.1 mmol CO2 m−2 days−1) to dry, exposed sediments (416.5 ± 78.9 mmol CO2 m−2 days−1). Results also suggest that net potential nitrification and denitrification allow tracing the effects of drying on N microbial communities involved in CO2 fluxes. Net potential nitrification rates produce little effects on CO2 fluxes, but is a good proxy of oxygen (O2) availability, whereas potential denitrification may be responsible for variable fractions (up to 100%) of CO2 production, in wetter sediments.

ACS Style

Beatrice Palmia; Stefano Leonardi; Pierluigi Viaroli; Marco Bartoli. Regulation of CO2 fluxes along gradients of water saturation in irrigation canal sediments. Aquatic Sciences 2021, 83, 1 -16.

AMA Style

Beatrice Palmia, Stefano Leonardi, Pierluigi Viaroli, Marco Bartoli. Regulation of CO2 fluxes along gradients of water saturation in irrigation canal sediments. Aquatic Sciences. 2021; 83 (1):1-16.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Beatrice Palmia; Stefano Leonardi; Pierluigi Viaroli; Marco Bartoli. 2021. "Regulation of CO2 fluxes along gradients of water saturation in irrigation canal sediments." Aquatic Sciences 83, no. 1: 1-16.

Journal article
Published: 09 January 2021 in Science of The Total Environment
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A temporally and spatially detailed historical (1985–2018) analysis of cyanobacteria blooms was performed in the Curonian Lagoon (Lithuania, Russia), the largest coastal lagoon in the Baltic Sea. Satellite data allowed the mapping of cyanobacteria surface accumulations, so-called “scums”, and of chlorophyll-a concentration. The 34-year time series shows a tendency towards later occurrence (October–November) of the cyanobacteria scum presence, whereas the period of its onset (June–July) remains relatively constant. The periods when scums are present, “hot moments”, have been consistently increasing in duration since 2008. The differences in the starting, ending and annual duration of cyanobacteria blooms have been significantly altered by hydro-meteorological conditions (river discharge, water temperature, and wind conditions) and their year-round patterns. The most important environmental factors that determined the temporal changes of the scum presence and area were the standing stock of cyanobacteria and the ambient wind conditions. The “hotspots”, the areas where the blooms most likely occur, were distributed in the south-southwestern and central parts of the lagoon. The least affected areas were the northern part, which is connected to the coastal waters of the Baltic Sea, and the Nemunas River delta region. The longstanding, well-established spatial patterns of cyanobacteria blooms were linked to hydrodynamic features, namely water renewal time and current patterns, and to potential nutrient sources that included muddy sediments and the locations of colonies of piscivorous birds. Our findings confirmed that the annual and seasonal variations of cyanobacteria blooms and their regulation are a complex issue due to interactions between multiple factors over spatially and temporally broad scales. Despite great progress in the prevention and control of eutrophication and cyanobacteria blooms, the lagoon is still considered to be in a poor ecological status. This work provides a new and missing understanding on the spatial and temporal extent of cyanobacteria blooms and the factors that govern them. Such an understanding can help in planning management strategies, forecasting the magnitude and severity of blooms under changing nutrient loads and potential climate scenarios.

ACS Style

Diana Vaičiūtė; Martynas Bučas; Mariano Bresciani; Toma Dabulevičienė; Jonas Gintauskas; Jovita Mėžinė; Edvinas Tiškus; Georg Umgiesser; Julius Morkūnas; Francesca De Santi; Marco Bartoli. Hot moments and hotspots of cyanobacteria hyperblooms in the Curonian Lagoon (SE Baltic Sea) revealed via remote sensing-based retrospective analysis. Science of The Total Environment 2021, 769, 145053 .

AMA Style

Diana Vaičiūtė, Martynas Bučas, Mariano Bresciani, Toma Dabulevičienė, Jonas Gintauskas, Jovita Mėžinė, Edvinas Tiškus, Georg Umgiesser, Julius Morkūnas, Francesca De Santi, Marco Bartoli. Hot moments and hotspots of cyanobacteria hyperblooms in the Curonian Lagoon (SE Baltic Sea) revealed via remote sensing-based retrospective analysis. Science of The Total Environment. 2021; 769 ():145053.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Diana Vaičiūtė; Martynas Bučas; Mariano Bresciani; Toma Dabulevičienė; Jonas Gintauskas; Jovita Mėžinė; Edvinas Tiškus; Georg Umgiesser; Julius Morkūnas; Francesca De Santi; Marco Bartoli. 2021. "Hot moments and hotspots of cyanobacteria hyperblooms in the Curonian Lagoon (SE Baltic Sea) revealed via remote sensing-based retrospective analysis." Science of The Total Environment 769, no. : 145053.

Communication
Published: 07 November 2020 in Water
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Macrofauna can produce contrasting biogeochemical effects in intact and reconstructed sediments. We measured benthic fluxes of oxygen, inorganic carbon, and nitrogen and denitrification rates in intact sediments dominated by a filter and a deposit feeder and in reconstructed sediments added with increasing densities of the same organisms. Measurements in reconstructed sediments were carried out 5 days after macrofauna addition. The degree of stimulation of the measured fluxes in the intact and reconstructed sediments was then compared. Results confirmed that high densities of bioturbating macrofauna produce profound effects on sediment biogeochemistry, enhancing benthic respiration and ammonium recycling by up to a factor of ~3 and ~9, respectively, as compared to control sediments. The deposit feeder also increased total denitrification by a factor of ~2, whereas the filter feeder activity did not stimulate nitrogen removal. Moreover, the effects of deposit feeders on benthic fluxes were significantly higher (e.g., on respiration and ammonium recycling) or different (e.g., on denitrification) when measured in intact and reconstructed sediments. In intact sediments, deposit feeders enhanced the denitrification coupled to nitrification and had no effects on the denitrification of water column nitrate, whereas in reconstructed sediments, the opposite was true. This may reflect active burrowing in reconstructed sediments and the long time needed for slow growing nitrifiers to develop within burrows. Results suggest that, in bioturbation studies, oversimplified experimental approaches and insufficient preincubation time might lead to wrong interpretation of the role of macrofauna in sediment biogeochemistry, far from that occurring in nature.

ACS Style

Marco Bartoli; Sara Benelli; Monia Magri; Cristina Ribaudo; Paula Moraes; Giuseppe Castaldelli. Contrasting Effects of Bioturbation Studied in Intact and Reconstructed Estuarine Sediments. Water 2020, 12, 3125 .

AMA Style

Marco Bartoli, Sara Benelli, Monia Magri, Cristina Ribaudo, Paula Moraes, Giuseppe Castaldelli. Contrasting Effects of Bioturbation Studied in Intact and Reconstructed Estuarine Sediments. Water. 2020; 12 (11):3125.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marco Bartoli; Sara Benelli; Monia Magri; Cristina Ribaudo; Paula Moraes; Giuseppe Castaldelli. 2020. "Contrasting Effects of Bioturbation Studied in Intact and Reconstructed Estuarine Sediments." Water 12, no. 11: 3125.

Journal article
Published: 09 September 2020 in Water
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In the northern sector of the Po River Plain (Italy), widespread intensive agriculture and animal farming are supported by large amounts of water from Alpine lakes and their emissaries. Flood irrigation and excess fertilization with manure affect both the hydrology and the chemical quality of surface and groundwater, resulting in diffuse nitrogen pollution. However, studies analyzing the mechanisms linking agricultural practices with vertical and horizontal nitrogen paths are scarce in this area. We investigated groundwater quality and quantity in an unconfined, coarse-grained alluvial aquifer adjacent to the Mincio River (a tributary of the Po River), where steep summer gradients of nitrate (NO3−) concentrations are reported. The effects of manure on solutes’ vertical transport during precipitation events in fertilized and in control soils were simulated under laboratory conditions. The results show high SiO2 and NO3− leaching in fertilized soils. Similarly, field data are characterized by high SiO2 and NO3− concentrations, with a comparable spatial distribution but a different temporal evolution, suggesting their common origin but different processes affecting their concentrations in the study area. Our results show that SiO2 can be used as a conservative tracer of manure spreading, as it does not undergo biogeochemical processes that significantly alter its concentrations. On the contrary, nitrate displays large short-term variations related to aquifer recharge (i.e., flood irrigation and precipitation). In fact, aquifer recharge may promote immediate solubilization and stimulate nitrification, resulting in high NO3− concentrations up to 95.9 mg/L, exceeding the Water Framework Directive (WFD) thresholds. When recharge ends, anoxic conditions likely establish in the saturated zone, favoring denitrification and resulting in a steep decrease in NO3− concentrations.

ACS Style

Edoardo Severini; Marco Bartoli; Monica Pinardi; Fulvio Celico. Reactive Silica Traces Manure Spreading in Alluvial Aquifers Affected by Nitrate Contamination: A Case Study in a High Plain of Northern Italy. Water 2020, 12, 2511 .

AMA Style

Edoardo Severini, Marco Bartoli, Monica Pinardi, Fulvio Celico. Reactive Silica Traces Manure Spreading in Alluvial Aquifers Affected by Nitrate Contamination: A Case Study in a High Plain of Northern Italy. Water. 2020; 12 (9):2511.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Edoardo Severini; Marco Bartoli; Monica Pinardi; Fulvio Celico. 2020. "Reactive Silica Traces Manure Spreading in Alluvial Aquifers Affected by Nitrate Contamination: A Case Study in a High Plain of Northern Italy." Water 12, no. 9: 2511.

Article
Published: 27 July 2020 in Biodegradation
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The effects of anthropogenic pressures in coastal areas are extensively studied in temperate but not in tropical zones, where their impact might be amplified by high water temperatures and upwelling phenomena. Sedimentary features and benthic metabolism were studied during the non upwelling (NUPW) and upwelling (UPW) seasons in Taganga Bay (Colombia). The bay is impacted by a submarine outfall of virtually untreated, organic and nutrient-rich wastewater. Samplings were performed in November 2017 (NUPW) and in January–February 2018 (UPW) at 4 stations located in the proximity and 100, 750 and 1800 m far from the outfall, respectively, at depths between 22 and 28 m. Aerobic respiration, denitrification, dissimilative nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) and nutrient fluxes were measured. The influence of the outfall was detectable 750 and 1800 m away from the point pollution source, where δ13C data suggested that ~ 40 and ~ 20% of organic inputs were terrigenous, respectively. In the proximity of the outfall benthic oxygen demand peaked and the presence of Beggiatoa mats suggested reoxidation of sulphides, that were abundant in pore water. Under sulfidic conditions, DNRA was the major driver of nitrate demand, whereas at stations far from the outfall, denitrification dominated nitrate consumption. Organic matter and nitrate inputs to the bay during the UPW season enhanced the effects of the outfall by increasing aerobic respiration and DNRA. Higher N availability during the UPW season reversed fluxes of molecular nitrogen and turned the sediments of 3 out of 4 sites from net sinks to net N2 sources. Results from this study suggest that the analysis of sediments allows tracing the impact of the outfall and that such impact is enhanced during the upwelling season. In tropical areas, marine outfalls and upwelling may act in synergy and contribute to ecosystem deterioration due to high temperatures, increase of microbial respiration, sulphide toxicity and benthic biodiversity loss.

ACS Style

Diana M. Arroyave Gómez; Darío Gallego Suárez; Marco Bartoli; Mauricio Toro-Botero. Spatial and seasonal variability of sedimentary features and nitrogen benthic metabolism in a tropical coastal area (Taganga Bay, Colombia Caribbean) impacted by a sewage outfall. Biodegradation 2020, 150, 85 -107.

AMA Style

Diana M. Arroyave Gómez, Darío Gallego Suárez, Marco Bartoli, Mauricio Toro-Botero. Spatial and seasonal variability of sedimentary features and nitrogen benthic metabolism in a tropical coastal area (Taganga Bay, Colombia Caribbean) impacted by a sewage outfall. Biodegradation. 2020; 150 (1):85-107.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Diana M. Arroyave Gómez; Darío Gallego Suárez; Marco Bartoli; Mauricio Toro-Botero. 2020. "Spatial and seasonal variability of sedimentary features and nitrogen benthic metabolism in a tropical coastal area (Taganga Bay, Colombia Caribbean) impacted by a sewage outfall." Biodegradation 150, no. 1: 85-107.

Short communication
Published: 15 July 2020 in Aquatic Botany
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Macrophytes may either stimulate or depress nitrogen-related microbial processes via radial oxygen loss (ROL), production of exudates or uptake of inorganic N. ROL can favor aerobic processes as nitrification, exudates may stimulate denitrification, whereas N assimilation and competition with microbes may depress both processes. We measured rates of potential nitrification (PN) and denitrification (PD) in oligotrophic lacustrine sediments colonized by submersed and emergent macrophytes. Potential rates were also analyzed in adjacent control sediments devoid of vegetation. Aim of the work was to verify if the presence of macrophytes alters the potential activity of nitrifying or denitrifying bacteria. Vertical profiles (0-10 cm depth) of PN and PD rates were measured via oxic (nitrification) and anoxic (denitrification) slurries, where we measured the accumulation of NOx- from added NH4+ and the production of 30N2 from added 15NO3-, respectively. Results suggest that under oligotrophic settings macrophytes produced small effects on potential nitrification and denitrification activities. Despite elevated oxygen release demonstrated for most of the tested macrophytes, nitrification was likely constrained by significant plant-bacteria competition. Potential denitrification was comparatively more stimulated by macrophytes, but we address this result to a general increase of heterotrophic microbial activity in organic-richer vegetated sediments, due to dead root biomass or exudates. The highest PN and PD rates were measured in sediments colonized by Littorella uniflora, likely due to its large underground biomass (root:shoot ratio ∼3.5), root porosity and oxygen leakage.

ACS Style

Sara Benelli; Cristina Ribaudo; Vincent Bertrin; Marco Bartoli; Elisa Anna Fano. Effects of macrophytes on potential nitrification and denitrification in oligotrophic lake sediments. Aquatic Botany 2020, 167, 103287 .

AMA Style

Sara Benelli, Cristina Ribaudo, Vincent Bertrin, Marco Bartoli, Elisa Anna Fano. Effects of macrophytes on potential nitrification and denitrification in oligotrophic lake sediments. Aquatic Botany. 2020; 167 ():103287.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sara Benelli; Cristina Ribaudo; Vincent Bertrin; Marco Bartoli; Elisa Anna Fano. 2020. "Effects of macrophytes on potential nitrification and denitrification in oligotrophic lake sediments." Aquatic Botany 167, no. : 103287.

Article
Published: 01 July 2020 in Estuaries and Coasts
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Harmful blooms of cyanobacteria may extend over long time spans due to self-sustaining mechanisms. We hypothesized that settled blooms may increase redox-dependent P release and unbalance the stoichiometry of benthic nutrient regeneration (NH4+:SiO2:PO43− ratios). We tested this hypothesis in the hypertrophic Curonian Lagoon, the largest in Europe. During summer, at peak chlorophyll and water temperatures, sediment cores were collected over 19 stations representing all the lagoon sedimentary environments. Sediment organic content, granulometry, aerobic respiration, and oxic and anoxic fluxes of dissolved inorganic nutrients and metals—Fe2+ and Mn2+—were measured. Loads and stoichiometry of regenerated nutrients were compared with those from the watershed. Analyzed sediments had elevated oxygen demand (−1.90 to −5.66 mmol O2 m−2 h−1), generally uncoupled to their variable organic matter content (1–23%) and median particle size (30–300 μm). Under oxic conditions, summer internal recycling equaled (SiO2) or exceeded, by a factor of ~66 and ~ 2, external loads of NH4+ and PO43−, respectively. Transient anoxia produced a general decrease of NH4+ and SiO2 regeneration, likely due to decreased macrofauna activity or inefficient mineralization, whereas it doubled average PO43− fluxes. In sandy, well-flushed areas, anoxia had a minor effect on PO43−, but stimulated a large production of Mn2+. Muddy sediments in lagoon areas with slow water renewal displayed large redox-dependent PO43− mobility, coupled to Fe2+ release. Settled algal blooms and hypoxic conditions might unbalance benthic regeneration stoichiometry and sustain blooms. The sedimentary pool of Mn4+ may represent a natural buffer preventing iron reduction and PO43− mobility.

ACS Style

Marco Bartoli; Sara Benelli; Marta Lauro; Monia Magri; Irma Vybernaite-Lubiene; Jolita Petkuviene. Variable Oxygen Levels Lead to Variable Stoichiometry of Benthic Nutrient Fluxes in a Hypertrophic Estuary. Estuaries and Coasts 2020, 44, 689 -703.

AMA Style

Marco Bartoli, Sara Benelli, Marta Lauro, Monia Magri, Irma Vybernaite-Lubiene, Jolita Petkuviene. Variable Oxygen Levels Lead to Variable Stoichiometry of Benthic Nutrient Fluxes in a Hypertrophic Estuary. Estuaries and Coasts. 2020; 44 (3):689-703.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marco Bartoli; Sara Benelli; Marta Lauro; Monia Magri; Irma Vybernaite-Lubiene; Jolita Petkuviene. 2020. "Variable Oxygen Levels Lead to Variable Stoichiometry of Benthic Nutrient Fluxes in a Hypertrophic Estuary." Estuaries and Coasts 44, no. 3: 689-703.

Journal article
Published: 15 June 2020 in Science of The Total Environment
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Hydrological extremes of unusually high or low river discharge may deeply affect the biogeochemistry of coastal lagoons, but the effects are poorly explored. In this study, microbial nitrogen processes were analyzed through intact core incubations and 15N-isotope addition at three sites in the eutrophic Sacca di Goro lagoon (Northern Adriatic Sea) both under high discharge (spring) and after prolonged low discharge (late-summer) of the main freshwater inputs. Under high discharge/nitrate load, denitrification was the leading process and there was no internal recycling. The site located at the mouth of the main freshwater input and characterized by low salinity exhibited the highest denitrification rate (up to 1150 ± 81 μmol N m-2 h-1), mostly sustained by nitrification stimulated by burrowing macrofauna. In contrast, we recorded high internal recycling under low discharge, when denitrification dropped at all sites due to low nitrate concentrations, reduced bioturbation and nitrification. The highest recycling was measured at the sites close to the sea entrance and characterized by high salinity and particularly at the clams cultivated area (up to 1003 ± 70 μmol N m-2 h-1). At this site, internal recycling was sustained by ammonification of biodeposits, bivalve excretion and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), which represented 30% of nitrate reduction. Flash floods and high nitrate loads may overwhelm the denitrification capacity of the lagoon due to the reduced residence time and to the saturation of microbial enzymatic activity, resulting in high transport of nitrate to the sea. Prolonged dry periods favor large internal recycling, due to a combination of high temperatures, low oxygen solubility and low bioturbation, which may prolong the extent of algal blooms with negative effects on lagoon biogeochemical services. We conclude that hydrological extremes, which are expected to become more frequent under climate change scenarios, strongly alter N cycling in coastal sediments.

ACS Style

Monia Magri; Sara Benelli; Stefano Bonaglia; Mindaugas Zilius; Giuseppe Castaldelli; Marco Bartoli. The effects of hydrological extremes on denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) and mineralization in a coastal lagoon. Science of The Total Environment 2020, 740, 140169 .

AMA Style

Monia Magri, Sara Benelli, Stefano Bonaglia, Mindaugas Zilius, Giuseppe Castaldelli, Marco Bartoli. The effects of hydrological extremes on denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) and mineralization in a coastal lagoon. Science of The Total Environment. 2020; 740 ():140169.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Monia Magri; Sara Benelli; Stefano Bonaglia; Mindaugas Zilius; Giuseppe Castaldelli; Marco Bartoli. 2020. "The effects of hydrological extremes on denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) and mineralization in a coastal lagoon." Science of The Total Environment 740, no. : 140169.

Journal article
Published: 14 May 2020 in Water
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Compared to external loads from tributaries and sediment recycling, the role of waterbirds as phosphorus (P) sources in estuaries is overlooked. We performed monthly ship-based surveys of waterbird abundance in the Lithuanian part of the Curonian Lagoon, calculated their potential P excretion, and compared its relevance to the riverine inputs. Phosphorus excretion rates for the censused species were assessed accounting for variations of body weights, daily feces production and their P content, and assigning species to different feeding and nutrient cycling guilds. During the study period (March–November 2018), 32 waterbird species were censused, varying in abundance from ~18,000–32,000 (October–November) to ~30,000–48,000 individuals (June–September). The estimated avian P loads during the whole study period varied between 3.6 and 25 tons, corresponding to an area load between 8.7 and 60.7 mg P m−2. Waterbird release of reactive P to the system represented a variable but not negligible fraction (1%–12%) of total external P loads, peaking in June–September and coinciding with cyanobacterial blooms. This study is the first in the Baltic Sea region suggesting that waterbirds are potentially important P sources to phytoplankton in large estuaries, in particular, during low discharge periods.

ACS Style

Rasa Morkūnė; Jolita Petkuvienė; Modestas Bružas; Julius Morkūnas; Marco Bartoli. Monthly Abundance Patterns and the Potential Role of Waterbirds as Phosphorus Sources to a Hypertrophic Baltic Lagoon. Water 2020, 12, 1392 .

AMA Style

Rasa Morkūnė, Jolita Petkuvienė, Modestas Bružas, Julius Morkūnas, Marco Bartoli. Monthly Abundance Patterns and the Potential Role of Waterbirds as Phosphorus Sources to a Hypertrophic Baltic Lagoon. Water. 2020; 12 (5):1392.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rasa Morkūnė; Jolita Petkuvienė; Modestas Bružas; Julius Morkūnas; Marco Bartoli. 2020. "Monthly Abundance Patterns and the Potential Role of Waterbirds as Phosphorus Sources to a Hypertrophic Baltic Lagoon." Water 12, no. 5: 1392.

Journal article
Published: 12 May 2020 in Diversity
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In benthic ecosystems, organic matter (OM), prokaryotes, and meiofauna represent a functional bottleneck in the energy transfer towards higher trophic levels and all respond to a variety of natural and anthropogenic disturbances. The relationships between OM and the different components of benthic communities are influenced by multiple environmental variables, which can vary across different habitats. However, analyses of these relationships have mostly been conducted by considering the different habitats separately, even though freshwater, transitional, and marine ecosystems, physically linked to each other, are not worlds apart. Here, we investigated the quantity and nutritional quality of sedimentary OM, along with the prokaryotic and meiofauna abundance, biomass, and biodiversity, in two sampling periods, corresponding to high vs. low freshwater inputs to the sea, along a river-to-sea transect. The highest values of sedimentary organic loads and their nutritional quality, prokaryotic and meiofaunal abundance, and biomass were consistently observed in lagoon systems. Differences in the prokaryotic Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) and meiofaunal taxonomic composition, rather than changes in the richness of taxa, were observed among the three habitats and, in each habitat, between sampling periods. Such differences were driven by either physical or trophic variables, though with differences between seasons. Overall, our results indicate that the apparent positive relationship between sedimentary OM, prokaryote and meiofaunal abundance, and biomass across the river-lagoon-sea transect under scrutiny is more the result of a pattern of specifically adapted prokaryotic and meiofaunal communities to different habitats, rather than an actually positive ‘response’ to OM enrichment. We conclude that the synoptic analysis of prokaryotes and meiofauna can provide useful information on the relative effect of organic enrichment and environmental settings across gradients of environmental continuums, including rivers, lagoons, and marine coastal ecosystems.

ACS Style

Silvia Bianchelli; Daniele Nizzoli; Marco Bartoli; Pierluigi Viaroli; Eugenio Rastelli; Antonio Pusceddu. Sedimentary Organic Matter, Prokaryotes, and Meiofauna Across a River-Lagoon-Sea Gradient. Diversity 2020, 12, 189 .

AMA Style

Silvia Bianchelli, Daniele Nizzoli, Marco Bartoli, Pierluigi Viaroli, Eugenio Rastelli, Antonio Pusceddu. Sedimentary Organic Matter, Prokaryotes, and Meiofauna Across a River-Lagoon-Sea Gradient. Diversity. 2020; 12 (5):189.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Silvia Bianchelli; Daniele Nizzoli; Marco Bartoli; Pierluigi Viaroli; Eugenio Rastelli; Antonio Pusceddu. 2020. "Sedimentary Organic Matter, Prokaryotes, and Meiofauna Across a River-Lagoon-Sea Gradient." Diversity 12, no. 5: 189.

Original paper
Published: 04 March 2020 in Wetlands Ecology and Management
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The evaluation of nitrogen (N) removal in aquatic ecosystems within human exploited watersheds may allow the setting of upper limits of N use in agriculture. However, such an evaluation is complex owing to the small scale heterogeneity of aquatic ecosystems, including dominant vegetation and inherent N-related processes. In this work, microbial denitrification and primary producer assimilation were estimated in fluvial wetlands and irrigation canals of the Mincio River watershed (~ 850 km2, Italy), and scaled-up to the whole watershed using GIS and remote-sensing techniques. Denitrification in the fluvial wetland area which covered only ~ 3% of the watershed was estimated to permanently remove 80% of the excess N, defined as N soil surplus (~ 5500 t N y−1) minus N river export (~ 1300 t N y−1). Adding the estimated N uptake by primary producers in the wetland system, approximately all the N excess produced in adjacent agricultural land of the Mincio watershed can be retained or removed by internal processes. In contrast, the canal network had a linear extent of over 1770 km but its estimated denitrification capacity was comparatively much smaller (up to 7% of the excess N). Combinations of N-budgeting at the whole basin scale, experimental data, GIS and remote sensing techniques offer the possibility to analyze N retention capacity in heterogeneous aquatic environments. The application of such approach to the Mincio watershed stresses the functional relevance of even small wetland areas in agricultural settings.

ACS Style

Monica Pinardi; Elisa Soana; Mariano Bresciani; Paolo Villa; Marco Bartoli. Upscaling nitrogen removal processes in fluvial wetlands and irrigation canals in a patchy agricultural watershed. Wetlands Ecology and Management 2020, 28, 297 -313.

AMA Style

Monica Pinardi, Elisa Soana, Mariano Bresciani, Paolo Villa, Marco Bartoli. Upscaling nitrogen removal processes in fluvial wetlands and irrigation canals in a patchy agricultural watershed. Wetlands Ecology and Management. 2020; 28 (2):297-313.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Monica Pinardi; Elisa Soana; Mariano Bresciani; Paolo Villa; Marco Bartoli. 2020. "Upscaling nitrogen removal processes in fluvial wetlands and irrigation canals in a patchy agricultural watershed." Wetlands Ecology and Management 28, no. 2: 297-313.

Journal article
Published: 03 March 2020 in Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
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An increasing number of coastal lagoons are being exploited for intensive farming of bivalve filter-feeders. One of the most important farming sites in Europe for the Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) is the Sacca di Goro lagoon (Po River Delta, Italy). Here, while on the one hand river runoff enhances high clam productivity, on the other hand it stimulates extensive blooms of green seaweeds of the genus Ulva. The latter can affect clams when macroalgal biomass collapses and decomposes. We hypothesized that the filtration of suspended particulate matter by farmed clams could enhance inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus recycling and simultaneously reduce phytoplankton biomass, thus facilitating macroalgal growth. An experiment simulating the effects of clams on early Ulva development was conducted over 7 days in outdoor flow-through mesocosms containing lagoon sediments with and without clams. On day 1, 3 and 7, macroalgal biomass and thallus elemental composition, water-dissolved nutrients and chlorophyll-a concentrations were recorded. On day 7, sediment-water nutrient fluxes were also measured on sediment cores sampled from each mesocosm. The presence of clams clearly stimulated Ulva growth and enhanced nutrient recycling rates. Furthermore, Ulva grown with clams had higher chlorophyll-a, nitrogen and phosphorus content. While sediments showed a net release of both soluble reactive phosphorus and ammonium when clams were present, in mesocosms without clams sediments constituted a sink for both dissolved inorganic phosphorus and nitrogen. Based on this evidence we can conclude that intensive clam farming over wide lagoon areas could significantly affect nutrient cycling, thus facilitating macroalgal blooms, with serious consequences for farming sustainability and for the functioning of the whole lagoon ecosystem.

ACS Style

Mariachiara Naldi; Daniele Nizzoli; Marco Bartoli; Pierpaolo Viaroli; Pierluigi Viaroli. Effect of filter-feeding mollusks on growth of green macroalgae and nutrient cycling in a heavily exploited coastal lagoon. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 2020, 239, 106679 .

AMA Style

Mariachiara Naldi, Daniele Nizzoli, Marco Bartoli, Pierpaolo Viaroli, Pierluigi Viaroli. Effect of filter-feeding mollusks on growth of green macroalgae and nutrient cycling in a heavily exploited coastal lagoon. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 2020; 239 ():106679.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mariachiara Naldi; Daniele Nizzoli; Marco Bartoli; Pierpaolo Viaroli; Pierluigi Viaroli. 2020. "Effect of filter-feeding mollusks on growth of green macroalgae and nutrient cycling in a heavily exploited coastal lagoon." Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 239, no. : 106679.

Journal article
Published: 05 December 2019 in Water
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Aquatic birds may impact shallow ecosystems via organic and nutrient enrichment with feces. Such input may alleviate nutrient limitation, unbalance their ecological stoichiometry, and stimulate primary production. Herbivorous and piscivorous birds may produce different effects on aquatic ecosystems due to different physiology, diet and feces elemental composition. We analyze the effects of droppings from swans (herbivorous) and cormorants (piscivorous) on phytoplankton growth via a laboratory experiment. These birds are well represented in the Curonian Lagoon, where they form large colonies. As this lagoon displays summer algal hyper-blooms, we hypothesize an active, direct role of birds via defecation on algal growth. Short-term incubations of phytoplankton under low and high feces addition produces different stimulation of algal growth, significantly higher with high inputs of cormorant feces. The latter produces a major effect on reactive phosphorus concentration that augments significantly, as compared to treatments with swan feces, and determines an unbalanced, N-limited stoichiometry along with the duration of the experiment. During the incubation period, the dominant algal groups switch from blue-green to green algae, but such switch is independent of the level of feces input and from their origin. Heterotrophic bacteria also are stimulated by feces addition, but their increase is transient.

ACS Style

Jolita Petkuviene; Diana Vaiciute; Marija Katarzyte; Iveta Gecaite; Giorgio Rossato; Irma Vybernaite-Lubiene; Marco Bartoli. Feces from Piscivorous and Herbivorous Birds Stimulate Differentially Phytoplankton Growth. Water 2019, 11, 2567 .

AMA Style

Jolita Petkuviene, Diana Vaiciute, Marija Katarzyte, Iveta Gecaite, Giorgio Rossato, Irma Vybernaite-Lubiene, Marco Bartoli. Feces from Piscivorous and Herbivorous Birds Stimulate Differentially Phytoplankton Growth. Water. 2019; 11 (12):2567.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jolita Petkuviene; Diana Vaiciute; Marija Katarzyte; Iveta Gecaite; Giorgio Rossato; Irma Vybernaite-Lubiene; Marco Bartoli. 2019. "Feces from Piscivorous and Herbivorous Birds Stimulate Differentially Phytoplankton Growth." Water 11, no. 12: 2567.

Communication
Published: 04 November 2019 in Water
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The increasing use of the stable isotope 15N-NO3− for the quantification of ecological processes requires analytical approaches able to distinguish between labelled and unlabeled N forms. We present a method coupling anoxic sediment slurries and membrane inlet mass spectrometry to quantify dissolved 15N-NO3− and 14N-NO3−. The approach is based on the microbial reduction of 14N-NO3− and 15N-NO3− mixed pool, the determination of the produced 29N2 and 30N2, and the calculation of the original 15N-NO3− and 14N-NO3− concentrations. The reduction is carried out in 12 mL exetainers containing 2 mL of sediment and 10 mL of water, under anoxia. To validate this approach, we prepared multiple standard solutions containing 15N-NO3− alone or in combinations with 14N-NO3−, with final concentrations varying from 0.5 to 3000 µM. We recovered nearly 90% of the initial 14N-NO3− or 15N-NO3−, over a wide range of concentrations and isotope ratios in the standards. We applied this method to a 15N-NO3− dilution experiment targeting the measurement of nitrification in sediments with and without the burrower Sparganophilus tamesis. The oligochaete did not stimulate nitrification, likely due to limited ventilation and unfavorable conditions for nitrifiers growth. The proposed method is reliable, fast, and could be applied to multiple ecological studies.

ACS Style

Paula Carpintero Moraes; Diana Marcela Arroyave Gòmez; Fabio Vincenzi; Giuseppe Castaldelli; Elisa Anna Fano; Marco Bartoli; Sara Benelli; Carpintero Moraes; Arroyave Gòmez; Fano. Analysis of 15N-NO3− Via Anoxic Slurries Coupled to MIMS Analysis: An Application to Estimate Nitrification by Burrowing Macrofauna. Water 2019, 11, 2310 .

AMA Style

Paula Carpintero Moraes, Diana Marcela Arroyave Gòmez, Fabio Vincenzi, Giuseppe Castaldelli, Elisa Anna Fano, Marco Bartoli, Sara Benelli, Carpintero Moraes, Arroyave Gòmez, Fano. Analysis of 15N-NO3− Via Anoxic Slurries Coupled to MIMS Analysis: An Application to Estimate Nitrification by Burrowing Macrofauna. Water. 2019; 11 (11):2310.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Paula Carpintero Moraes; Diana Marcela Arroyave Gòmez; Fabio Vincenzi; Giuseppe Castaldelli; Elisa Anna Fano; Marco Bartoli; Sara Benelli; Carpintero Moraes; Arroyave Gòmez; Fano. 2019. "Analysis of 15N-NO3− Via Anoxic Slurries Coupled to MIMS Analysis: An Application to Estimate Nitrification by Burrowing Macrofauna." Water 11, no. 11: 2310.