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Dr. camilla bertolini
Dep. of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice

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0 coastal ecology
0 benthic fauna
0 Benthic ecology
0 Bivalve molluscs
0 shellfish aquaculture

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Journal article
Published: 08 June 2021 in ICES Journal of Marine Science
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Shellfish are increasingly been looked at as sustainable food sources that provide additional ecosystem services. However, their role as CO2 sinks or sources is still debated. To quantify it, shell accretion dynamics should be accounted for. However, the shell component is usually calculated with allometric scaling, in most bivalve models. With this study, shell accretion was added to a bioenergetic model of the Manilla clam (Ruditapes philippinarum), and a parameter linking assimilated energy towards shell growth (KSH) was calibrated for four sites, where clams from the same cohort were monitored during a transplant experiment. The model was then used to calculate CO2 fluxes resulting from respiration and shell calcification, taking into account CaCO3 stocked in the shell and CO2 emission. The findings show that KSH varied slightly among sites and that clams played a role as a moderate sink of CO2 over a whole year. CO2 fluxes were characterized by a seasonal variability: clams were net sources in wintertime and sinks in summer time, suggesting the need of accounting for seasonality and growth should shellfish farming be included in carbon markets.

ACS Style

C Bertolini; I Bernardini; D Brigolin; V Matozzo; M Milan; R Pastres. A bioenergetic model to address carbon sequestration potential of shellfish farming: example from Ruditapes philippinarum in the Venice lagoon. ICES Journal of Marine Science 2021, 1 .

AMA Style

C Bertolini, I Bernardini, D Brigolin, V Matozzo, M Milan, R Pastres. A bioenergetic model to address carbon sequestration potential of shellfish farming: example from Ruditapes philippinarum in the Venice lagoon. ICES Journal of Marine Science. 2021; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

C Bertolini; I Bernardini; D Brigolin; V Matozzo; M Milan; R Pastres. 2021. "A bioenergetic model to address carbon sequestration potential of shellfish farming: example from Ruditapes philippinarum in the Venice lagoon." ICES Journal of Marine Science , no. : 1.

Review
Published: 27 May 2021 in Restoration Ecology
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Wetlands provide significant ecosystem services yet are ranked amongst some of the most imperilled habitats. To maximise prioritisation of these habitats a better understanding of the full range of ecosystem functions is needed, starting with an examination of how coastal wetlands have been portrayed in restoration literature to date. This study consists of a literature review and the use of automated topic analyses aimed at (i) summarising the current research related to coastal wetland restoration, (ii) identifying the key fields of research, and (iii) identifying research efforts connecting restoration and climate adaptation strategies (e.g blue carbon). Of the 702 papers sourced for this analysis, most studies were conducted in North America and Europe. An increase in articles considering wetland restoration was found from 1985 to October 2020, with 40% of the research published just in the last triennia (2018–2020). Topic division highlights the emergence of studies related to management under climate change (e.g. sea level rise, adaptive management) and to carbon sequestration as separate fields of research from classical ecological studies. This reveals the need to ensure that classical ecological research is not neglected by work relating to climate strategies, which depend upon an accurate understanding of ecological processes.

ACS Style

C. Bertolini; J. da Mosto. Restoring for the climate: A review of coastal wetland restoration research in the last thirty years. Restoration Ecology 2021, 1 .

AMA Style

C. Bertolini, J. da Mosto. Restoring for the climate: A review of coastal wetland restoration research in the last thirty years. Restoration Ecology. 2021; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

C. Bertolini; J. da Mosto. 2021. "Restoring for the climate: A review of coastal wetland restoration research in the last thirty years." Restoration Ecology , no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 29 March 2021 in Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
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Effects of climatic changes in transitional ecosystems are often not linear, with some areas likely experiencing faster or more intense responses, which something important to consider in the perspective of climate forecasting. In this study of the Venice lagoon, time series of the past decade were used, and primary productivity was estimated from hourly oxygen data using a published model. Temporal and spatial patterns of water temperature, salinity and productivity time series were identified by applying clustering analysis. Phytoplankton and nutrient data from long-term surveys were correlated to primary productivity model outputs. pmax, the maximum oxygen production rate in a given day, was found to positively correlate with plankton variables measured in surveys. Clustering analysis showed the occurrence of summer heatwaves in 2008, 2013, 2015 and 2018 and three warm prolonged summers (2012, 2017, 2019) coincided with lower summer pmax values. Spatial effects in terms of temperature were found with segregation between confined and open areas, although the patterns varied from year to year. Production and respiration differences showed that the lagoon, despite seasonality, was overall heterotrophic, with internal water bodies having greater values of heterotrophy. Warm, dry years with high salinity had lower degrees of summer autotrophy.

ACS Style

Camilla Bertolini; Edouard Royer; Roberto Pastres. Multiple Evidence for Climate Patterns Influencing Ecosystem Productivity across Spatial Gradients in the Venice Lagoon. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 2021, 9, 363 .

AMA Style

Camilla Bertolini, Edouard Royer, Roberto Pastres. Multiple Evidence for Climate Patterns Influencing Ecosystem Productivity across Spatial Gradients in the Venice Lagoon. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. 2021; 9 (4):363.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Camilla Bertolini; Edouard Royer; Roberto Pastres. 2021. "Multiple Evidence for Climate Patterns Influencing Ecosystem Productivity across Spatial Gradients in the Venice Lagoon." Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 9, no. 4: 363.

Journal article
Published: 17 March 2021 in Sustainability
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Assessing the potential biomass yield is a key step in aquaculture site selection. This is challenging, especially for shellfish, as the growth rate depends on both trophic status and water temperature. Individual ecophysiological models can be used for mapping potential shellfish growth in coastal areas, using as input spatial time series of remotely sensed SST and chlorophyll-a. This approach was taken here to estimate the potential for developing oyster (Crassostrea gigas) farming in the western Adriatic Sea. Industry relevant indicators (i.e., shell length, total individual weight) and days required to reach marketable size were mapped using a dynamic energy budget model, finetuned on the basis of site-specific morphometric data collected monthly for a year. Spatially scaled-up results showed that the faster and more uniform growth in the northern Adriatic coastal area, compared with the southern one, where chlorophyll-a levels are lower and summer temperatures exceed the critical temperature limit for longer periods. These results could be used in planning the identification of allocated zones for aquaculture, (AZA), taking into account also the potential for farming or co-farming C. gigas. In perspective, the methodology could be used for getting insights on changes to the potential productivity indicators due to climatic changes.

ACS Style

Camilla Bertolini; Daniele Brigolin; Erika Porporato; Jasmine Hattab; Roberto Pastres; Pietro Tiscar. Testing a Model of Pacific Oysters’ (Crassostrea gigas) Growth in the Adriatic Sea: Implications for Aquaculture Spatial Planning. Sustainability 2021, 13, 3309 .

AMA Style

Camilla Bertolini, Daniele Brigolin, Erika Porporato, Jasmine Hattab, Roberto Pastres, Pietro Tiscar. Testing a Model of Pacific Oysters’ (Crassostrea gigas) Growth in the Adriatic Sea: Implications for Aquaculture Spatial Planning. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (6):3309.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Camilla Bertolini; Daniele Brigolin; Erika Porporato; Jasmine Hattab; Roberto Pastres; Pietro Tiscar. 2021. "Testing a Model of Pacific Oysters’ (Crassostrea gigas) Growth in the Adriatic Sea: Implications for Aquaculture Spatial Planning." Sustainability 13, no. 6: 3309.

Journal article
Published: 17 February 2021 in Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
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To predict the responses of organisms to changes in intensity and frequency of heatwaves, it is essential to gain a thorough understanding of how organisms respond to temperature exposure. Species-specific curves are more informative, yet more difficult to ascertain, than the generic heatwave definition (five days or more at a temperature above the 90% percentile) when addressing mortality risk and should be included when predicting thermal risks. The thermal tolerance of organisms is dictated by a combination of exposure intensity and duration: the aim of this study was to build a ‘tolerance landscape’ model, based on exposure thresholds to a potentially stressful temperature range, for the commercially important clam Ruditapes philippinarum using ten years of summer temperature time series in four lagoons in the Northern Adriatic, where this species is being commercially farmed. The model is based on a log-linear relationship between LT50 and exposure time. The two model parameters, i.e. the lethal temperature at 1 min exposure (CTmax), and the temperature sensitivity parameter (z) were estimated on the basis of a systematic literature search. Best-fitting values, i.e. CTmax = 54.5 (±2.3) and z = - 5.72 °C (±0.66) are within the ranges found for other bivalves. Results show that the mortality threshold was exceeded for most lagoons in summertime in 2015, 2017 and 2018 suggesting that the risk of exceeding the mortality threshold is increasing, due to an increase in frequency and duration of extreme temperature events. Comparisons with the generic ‘marine heatwave’ definition showed that, while in some occasions ‘heatwaves’ occurred that were not risky for R. philippinarum, in one case the model identified a time period of mortality risk that would not have been classified under the generic ‘heatwave’ definition. These mismatches suggest that tolerance curves can be a good addition to productivity and site selection models, incorporating a metric of species-specific risk that can be used to predict the consequences of climate change on fishery and aquaculture, and can find their place in conservation and restoration toolkits for forecasting changes in habitat suitability under future climate scenarios.

ACS Style

C. Bertolini; R. Pastres. Tolerance landscapes can be used to predict species-specific responses to climate change beyond the marine heatwave concept: Using tolerance landscape models for an ecologically meaningful classification of extreme climate events. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 2021, 252, 107284 .

AMA Style

C. Bertolini, R. Pastres. Tolerance landscapes can be used to predict species-specific responses to climate change beyond the marine heatwave concept: Using tolerance landscape models for an ecologically meaningful classification of extreme climate events. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 2021; 252 ():107284.

Chicago/Turabian Style

C. Bertolini; R. Pastres. 2021. "Tolerance landscapes can be used to predict species-specific responses to climate change beyond the marine heatwave concept: Using tolerance landscape models for an ecologically meaningful classification of extreme climate events." Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 252, no. : 107284.

Journal article
Published: 11 January 2021 in Science of The Total Environment
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Transitional coastal zones are subject to high degrees of temporal fluctuation in environmental conditions, with these patterns varying in space. Gaining an in depth understanding of how sessile organisms cope with and respond to such environmental changes at multiple scales is needed to i) advance fundamental knowledge, ii) predict how organisms may react to stressors and iii) support the management of halieutic resources in transitional coastal areas. We addressed this question using mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) as model system. Valve-gaping sensor were deployed at multiple sites within the southern Venice Lagoon over a period of 6 months, to investigate the existence of periodicity in valve-gaping and its relationship with environmental variables, such as temperature and chlorophyll-a. Gaping behaviour was found to have periodic rhythms, of ~12 h and ~ 24 h, which were most pronounced in the inner part of lagoon part and were strongest during summer months. In autumn, the dual periodicity became weaker and mostly the 12 h remained. Gaping was closely linked with tide, but the relationship in terms of phasing varied upon location. Surprisingly, no clear direct relationships were found with chlorophyll-a, but food delivery may be mediated by tide itself. The results highlight the heterogeneity of behaviour and the endogenic nature of circadian rhythms in space and time. These findings have important implications for management of transitional areas where tidal alteration may have impacts on key behaviours, and emphasize the importance of characterizing their rhythms before using these as stress indicator. Moreover, the described tidal relationships should be included in growth models of bivalves in these systems.

ACS Style

C. Bertolini; S. Rubinetti; G. Umgiesser; R. Witbaard; T.J. Bouma; A. Rubino; R. Pastres. How to cope in heterogeneous coastal environments: Spatio-temporally endogenous circadian rhythm of valve gaping by mussels. Science of The Total Environment 2021, 768, 145085 .

AMA Style

C. Bertolini, S. Rubinetti, G. Umgiesser, R. Witbaard, T.J. Bouma, A. Rubino, R. Pastres. How to cope in heterogeneous coastal environments: Spatio-temporally endogenous circadian rhythm of valve gaping by mussels. Science of The Total Environment. 2021; 768 ():145085.

Chicago/Turabian Style

C. Bertolini; S. Rubinetti; G. Umgiesser; R. Witbaard; T.J. Bouma; A. Rubino; R. Pastres. 2021. "How to cope in heterogeneous coastal environments: Spatio-temporally endogenous circadian rhythm of valve gaping by mussels." Science of The Total Environment 768, no. : 145085.

Journal article
Published: 16 May 2020 in Aquaculture
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Shellfish aquaculture is considered a sustainable way to help meet rising protein demands worldwide. In shallow coastal dynamic ecosystems mussels can be cultivated directly on the seabed, however this method has a low return as mussels exposed to natural environments risk dislodgment, high predation rates, sedimentation and competition. The formation of spatial patterns in natural mussel beds, that result in ‘organized patchiness’, is thought to be an adaptive mechanism to reduce population losses. The driver and effects of this patterning need to be disentangled at multiple spatial scales in which patterns are observed. With a field experiment we aimed to understand how small-scale density (actual cover) and patterning (perimeter: area ratio of clumps and number of mussel layers) can be altered by manipulating large scale density (re-laying biomass), that farmers could control during seeding activity. Within this study we considered the interplay between environmental conditions (manipulating flow rate with the use of large mesh cages) and density for pattern development and persistence, and the repercussions of this on mussel productivity (growth and condition). We further investigated local scale processes, such as the role of within-clump biological activity (biodeposition), that may be a predictor for the larger scale observations of losses and persistence relative to density. We found that manipulating density by controlling seeding biomass from boats is not an accurate predictor of actual seabed density and resulting patterning. The growth and condition of the mussels was only influenced by local scale effects, resulting in high ‘within clumps’ variation. Aiming for an intermediate density to avoid both excessive fragmentation and excessive layering may be viewed as an optimal strategy to maximise returns, but we encourage the incorporation of the hierarchy of multiple scales of density in future studies of patterning that will allow the inclusion of these effects in a model of growth and productivity.

ACS Style

C. Bertolini; J.J. Capelle; J.W.D. ter Veld; J. van de Koppel; T.J. Bouma. Understanding scales of density-dependence to improve the use of resources in benthic mussel aquaculture. Aquaculture 2020, 528, 735477 .

AMA Style

C. Bertolini, J.J. Capelle, J.W.D. ter Veld, J. van de Koppel, T.J. Bouma. Understanding scales of density-dependence to improve the use of resources in benthic mussel aquaculture. Aquaculture. 2020; 528 ():735477.

Chicago/Turabian Style

C. Bertolini; J.J. Capelle; J.W.D. ter Veld; J. van de Koppel; T.J. Bouma. 2020. "Understanding scales of density-dependence to improve the use of resources in benthic mussel aquaculture." Aquaculture 528, no. : 735477.

Article
Published: 28 March 2020 in Estuaries and Coasts
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Reef-forming species play a key role creating, modifying and maintaining important habitat and their associated communities. Globally, many of these habitats are extensively fragmented but our understanding of key ecological processes is drawn from older studies performed in less degraded environments with extensive reef habitats. We tested whether proximity to habitat edges affected the persistence and functioning of fragmented intertidal mussel reefs, Mytilus edulis, at three sites in sedimentary habitats in Northern Ireland. Specifically, we quantified and compared key ecological properties in mid-habitat and edges and hypothesised that at the edges, there would be (i) larger individual mussels, (ii) lower recruitment, (iii) lower associated taxon diversity, (iv) lower biodeposition, (v) greater predation intensity and (vi) greater food availability. Additionally, we tested whether rates of functioning (e.g. organic matter accumulation) were greater in mussel patches (edge and mid-habitat) compared to sediment without mussels (vii). We did find larger mussels at the edges of patches, where there was also less organic enrichment of the sediment compared to mid-habitat (but more than areas without mussels). None of the other variables quanitifed differed consistently between the edge and mid-habitat. The lack of strong edge effects identified may be explained by the nature of the mussel habitat in this study, i.e. intrinsically greater proportion of edges compared to more extensive reefs. Our results suggest that at the scale of the reef patches in this study, edge effects were not as strong as previously thought in terms of regulating key ecological processes.

ACS Style

Camilla Bertolini; W. I. Montgomery; Nessa E. O’Connor. Edge Effects Are Not Linked to Key Ecological Processes in a Fragmented Biogenic Reef. Estuaries and Coasts 2020, 43, 708 -721.

AMA Style

Camilla Bertolini, W. I. Montgomery, Nessa E. O’Connor. Edge Effects Are Not Linked to Key Ecological Processes in a Fragmented Biogenic Reef. Estuaries and Coasts. 2020; 43 (4):708-721.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Camilla Bertolini; W. I. Montgomery; Nessa E. O’Connor. 2020. "Edge Effects Are Not Linked to Key Ecological Processes in a Fragmented Biogenic Reef." Estuaries and Coasts 43, no. 4: 708-721.

Regular paper
Published: 17 November 2019 in Marine Ecology
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Cooperative behaviours, such as aggregation with neighbouring conspecifics, can enhance resilience in habitats where risks (i.e. predation, physical disturbances) are high, exerting positive feedback loops to maintain a healthy population. At the same time, cooperation behaviours can involve some extra energy expenditures and increasing resource competition. For sessile reefs, like mussels, simulation models predict increased cooperation under increasing levels of environmental stress. Predation risk is viewed as a behaviour‐modifying stressor, but its role on cooperation mechanisms, such as likelihood of reciprocity, has not yet been empirically tested. This study harnesses this framework to understand how cooperation changes under different perceived levels of predation risk, using mussel beds as model of a complex “self‐organised” system. Hence, we assessed the context dependency of cooperation response in different “landscapes of fear,” created by changes in predator cues, substratum availability and body size. Our experiments demonstrated that i) cooperation in a mussel bed system increases when predator cues are present, but that this relationship was found to be both, ii) strongly context‐dependent, particularly upon substratum availability and iii) size‐dependent. That is, while cooperation is in general greater for larger individuals, the response to risk results in greater cooperation when alternative attachment substratum is absent, meaning that simpler landscapes may be perceived as riskier. The context dependency of structural complexity is also an essential finding to consider in a changing world where habitats are losing complexity and cooperative strategies should be maximised.

ACS Style

Camilla Bertolini; Kasper Hlebowicz; Flavia Schlichta; Jacob J. Capelle; Johan Van De Koppel; Tjeerd.J. Bouma. Are all patterns created equal? Cooperation is more likely in spatially simple habitats. Marine Ecology 2019, 40, 1 .

AMA Style

Camilla Bertolini, Kasper Hlebowicz, Flavia Schlichta, Jacob J. Capelle, Johan Van De Koppel, Tjeerd.J. Bouma. Are all patterns created equal? Cooperation is more likely in spatially simple habitats. Marine Ecology. 2019; 40 (6):1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Camilla Bertolini; Kasper Hlebowicz; Flavia Schlichta; Jacob J. Capelle; Johan Van De Koppel; Tjeerd.J. Bouma. 2019. "Are all patterns created equal? Cooperation is more likely in spatially simple habitats." Marine Ecology 40, no. 6: 1.

Journal article
Published: 23 July 2019 in Oikos
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ACS Style

Camilla Bertolini; Brenda Cornelissen; Jacob Capelle; Johan Van De Koppel; Tjeerd J. Bouma. Putting self‐organization to the test: labyrinthine patterns as optimal solution for persistence. Oikos 2019, 128, 1805 -1815.

AMA Style

Camilla Bertolini, Brenda Cornelissen, Jacob Capelle, Johan Van De Koppel, Tjeerd J. Bouma. Putting self‐organization to the test: labyrinthine patterns as optimal solution for persistence. Oikos. 2019; 128 (12):1805-1815.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Camilla Bertolini; Brenda Cornelissen; Jacob Capelle; Johan Van De Koppel; Tjeerd J. Bouma. 2019. "Putting self‐organization to the test: labyrinthine patterns as optimal solution for persistence." Oikos 128, no. 12: 1805-1815.

Journal article
Published: 08 March 2019 in Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology
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Many organisms rely on chemical signals and cues to determine habitat suitability and safety. Chemical signals can mediate many interactions, including those between predators and their prey. Altering prey behaviour, these non-consumptive effects (NCEs) can influence population and community dynamics. Understanding how NCEs influence early life history stages, such as ‘decisions’ of benthic species with planktonic larvae about where to settle, can provide useful information on the ecological functioning of these systems as well as the management for commercial usage, although most studies have so far focused on intertidal systems which are already subject to a set of stressful conditions. With a shallow subtidal field experiment we investigated NCEs of the common starfish Asterias rubens on one of its main preys, the blue mussels Mytilus edulis. We tested the hypotheses that (1) the presence of starfish reduces mussels settlement and that (2) the mussels that settle will invest more energy towards induced defences than to growth, and will thus remain smaller than mussels settling in an area without starfish. Two independent trials revealed a significant reduction of mussel spat on the collectors in the presence of starfish after a two-week deployment period. There was however no effect of starfish on the size distribution of the mussel spat. The delayed observation of effects of starfish, absent after the first week but evident afterwards, suggests a time dependency of NCE's on spat settlement. Harnessing this ecologically important information has the potential to increase yield of mussel seeds available for fisheries by either removing starfish from the ground-based settling areas at the onset and for the duration of spatfall or by using floating substrates that are away from the bottom-bound starfish. Moreover, these results also underlines the potential of using predator cues in the application for sustainable natural antifouling compounds in situations with low recruitment pressures.

ACS Style

C. Bertolini; J.J. Capelle; K. Timmermans; T.J. Bouma; J. Van De Koppel; G.C.H. Derksen. Timing it right: Non-consumptive effects on prey recruitment magnify overtime. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 2019, 513, 47 -54.

AMA Style

C. Bertolini, J.J. Capelle, K. Timmermans, T.J. Bouma, J. Van De Koppel, G.C.H. Derksen. Timing it right: Non-consumptive effects on prey recruitment magnify overtime. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 2019; 513 ():47-54.

Chicago/Turabian Style

C. Bertolini; J.J. Capelle; K. Timmermans; T.J. Bouma; J. Van De Koppel; G.C.H. Derksen. 2019. "Timing it right: Non-consumptive effects on prey recruitment magnify overtime." Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 513, no. : 47-54.

Original paper
Published: 04 October 2018 in Marine Biology
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Spatially complex habitats provide refuge for prey and mediate many predator–prey interactions. Increasing anthropogenic pressures are eroding such habitats, reducing their complexity and potentially altering ecosystem stability on a global scale. Yet, we have only a rudimentary understanding of how structurally complex habitats create ecological refuges for most ecosystems. Better informed management decisions require an understanding of the mechanisms underpinning the provision of physical refuge and this may be linked to prey size, predator size and predator identity in priority habitats. We tested each of these factors empirically in a model biogenic reef system. Specifically, we tested whether mortality rates of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) of different sizes differed among: (i) different forms of reef structural distribution (represented as ‘clumped’, ‘patchy’ and ‘sparse’); (ii) predator species identity (shore crab, Carcinus maenas and starfish, Asterias rubens); and (iii) predator size. The survival rate of small mussels was greatest in the clumped experimental habitat and larger predators generally consumed more prey regardless of the structural organisation of treatment. Small mussels were protected from larger A. rubens but not from larger C. maenas in the clumped habitats. The distribution pattern of structural objects, therefore, may be considered a useful proxy for reef complexity when assessing predator–prey interactions, and optimal organisations should be considered based on both prey and predator sizes. These findings are essential to understand ecological processes underpinning predation rates in structurally complex habitats and to inform future restoration and ecological engineering practices.

ACS Style

Camilla Bertolini; W. I. Montgomery; Nessa E. O’Connor. Habitat with small inter-structural spaces promotes mussel survival and reef generation. Marine Biology 2018, 165, 1 -11.

AMA Style

Camilla Bertolini, W. I. Montgomery, Nessa E. O’Connor. Habitat with small inter-structural spaces promotes mussel survival and reef generation. Marine Biology. 2018; 165 (10):1-11.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Camilla Bertolini; W. I. Montgomery; Nessa E. O’Connor. 2018. "Habitat with small inter-structural spaces promotes mussel survival and reef generation." Marine Biology 165, no. 10: 1-11.

Original paper
Published: 16 March 2018 in Marine Biodiversity
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Loss of habitat is a global threat to biodiversity. Habitat-forming species in particular are shifting their distribution at local and regional scales, changing habitat aspect globally. In temperate intertidal rocky shores, this poleward shift of canopy-forming seaweeds is leading to a shift to mat- or turf-dominated communities. These changes and their consequences are poorly understood and can vary globally. Most studies, however, have focused on local and regional processes. Using rocky low intertidal algal-dominated systems, this study aims to understand the independent role of a rich understory vegetation layer formed by cespitose algae as community drivers. Moreover, the study aimed to understand whether the observed patterns can be consistent over spatial regions, thus three distinct regional zones of the North Atlantic (Eastern shores of Nova Scotia, Canada; the Poitou-Charentes coast, France; the Eastern shores of Northern Ireland, UK) were sampled as part of this study. From surveys, results showed that in the intertidal zone with low desiccation potential, canopies generally do not drive understory cespitose species richness or distribution. Cespitose algae on the other hand positively influenced richness in all regions. Community composition was also influenced by cespitose algal species, which increased the number of mobile epifauna species, while decreasing the number of encrusting epifauna species. This has wide implications: (i) understory species that are often overlooked may play a primary role as habitat formers; (ii) understory species may help maintain biodiversity in a changing world where primary species distribution is shifting.

ACS Style

Camilla Bertolini. Can secondary species maintain a primary role? Consistent inter-regional effects of understory algae on diversity. Marine Biodiversity 2018, 49, 841 -849.

AMA Style

Camilla Bertolini. Can secondary species maintain a primary role? Consistent inter-regional effects of understory algae on diversity. Marine Biodiversity. 2018; 49 (2):841-849.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Camilla Bertolini. 2018. "Can secondary species maintain a primary role? Consistent inter-regional effects of understory algae on diversity." Marine Biodiversity 49, no. 2: 841-849.

Journal article
Published: 01 August 2017 in Biological Conservation
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ACS Style

Daniel Barrios-O'neill; Camilla Bertolini; Patrick Colman Collins. Trophic cascades and the transient keystone concept. Biological Conservation 2017, 212, 191 -195.

AMA Style

Daniel Barrios-O'neill, Camilla Bertolini, Patrick Colman Collins. Trophic cascades and the transient keystone concept. Biological Conservation. 2017; 212 ():191-195.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Daniel Barrios-O'neill; Camilla Bertolini; Patrick Colman Collins. 2017. "Trophic cascades and the transient keystone concept." Biological Conservation 212, no. : 191-195.

Journal article
Published: 01 April 2017 in Marine Environmental Research
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Many aquatic animals grow into colonies of repeated, genetically identical, modules (zooids). Zooid interconnections enable colonies to behave as integrated functional units, while plastic responses to environmental changes may affect individual zooids. Plasticity includes the variable partitioning of resources to sexual reproduction, colony growth and maintenance. Maintenance often involves regeneration, which is also a routine part of the life history in some organisms, such as bryozoans. Here we investigate changes in regenerative capacity in the encrusting bryozoan Cryptosula pallasiana when cultured at different seawater pCO levels. The proportion of active zooids showing polypide regeneration was highest at current oceanic pH (8.1), but decreased progressively as pH declined below that value, reaching a six-fold reduction at pH 7.0. The zone of budding of new zooids at the colony periphery declined in size below pH 7.7. Under elevated pCO conditions, already experienced sporadically in coastal areas, skeletal corrosion was accompanied by the proportional reallocation of resources from polypide regeneration in old zooids to the budding of new zooids at the edge of the colony. Thus, future ocean acidification can affect colonial organisms by changing how they allocate resources, with potentially profound impacts on life-history patterns and ecological interactions.

ACS Style

Chiara Lombardi; Paul D. Taylor; Silvia Cocito; Camilla Bertolini; Piero Calosi. Low pH conditions impair module capacity to regenerate in a calcified colonial invertebrate, the bryozoan Cryptosula pallasiana. Marine Environmental Research 2017, 125, 110 -117.

AMA Style

Chiara Lombardi, Paul D. Taylor, Silvia Cocito, Camilla Bertolini, Piero Calosi. Low pH conditions impair module capacity to regenerate in a calcified colonial invertebrate, the bryozoan Cryptosula pallasiana. Marine Environmental Research. 2017; 125 ():110-117.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Chiara Lombardi; Paul D. Taylor; Silvia Cocito; Camilla Bertolini; Piero Calosi. 2017. "Low pH conditions impair module capacity to regenerate in a calcified colonial invertebrate, the bryozoan Cryptosula pallasiana." Marine Environmental Research 125, no. : 110-117.

Journal article
Published: 01 March 2017 in Journal of Sea Research
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Biogenic reefs are an important component of aquatic ecosystems where they enhance biodiversity. These reefs are often established by dense aggregations of a single taxa and understanding the fundamental principles of biogenic reef formation is needed for their conservation and restoration. We tested whether substratum type and density affected the aggregation behaviour of two important biogenic-reef forming species, the horse mussel, Modiolus modiolus (Linnaeus, 1758), and the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis (Linnaeus, 1758). First, we tested for effects of substratum type on mussel movement and aggregation behaviour by manipulating substrata available to mussels in mesocosms (three treatments: no sediment added, sediment added, sediment and shells added). Both mussel species moved less in treatments with sediment and with both sediment and shells present than when no sediment or shells were added and the percentage of these mussels that aggregated (clumps of two or more individuals) was lower when shells were present compared to treatments without shells, however, fewer M. modiolus attached to shells than M. edulis. There was no effect of different substratum type on patch complexity of either mussel species. In addition, motivated by our interest in the restoration of M. modiolus, we also tested experimentally whether the aggregation behaviour of M. modiolus was density-dependent. M. modiolus moved a similar distance in three density treatments (100, 200 and 300 mussels m), however, their aggregation rate appeared to be greater when mussel density was higher, suggesting that the encounter rate of individuals is an important factor for aggregation. M. modiolus also formed aggregations with a higher fractal dimension in the high and medium density treatments compared to lower density, suggesting that at higher density this increased patch complexity could further facilitate increased recruitment with the enhanced habitat available for settlement. These findings add to the growing evidence showing that adding dead shells to substratum to encourage M. modiolus restoration is not likely to be effective. Our findings suggest that mussel density is a more important driver for patch and subsequently reef formation. Moreover, two seemingly functionally similar mussel species showed some differences in their behaviour (e.g. attachment to shells). This highlights the importance of considering the specific ecology of a target species, such as M. modiolus, when designing restoration methods because information garnered from experimentation on an ostensibly similar species (e.g. M. edulis) may not be appropriate

ACS Style

Camilla Bertolini; Nathan Geraldi; W.I. Montgomery; Nessa O'Connor. Substratum type and conspecific density as drivers of mussel patch formation. Journal of Sea Research 2017, 121, 24 -32.

AMA Style

Camilla Bertolini, Nathan Geraldi, W.I. Montgomery, Nessa O'Connor. Substratum type and conspecific density as drivers of mussel patch formation. Journal of Sea Research. 2017; 121 ():24-32.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Camilla Bertolini; Nathan Geraldi; W.I. Montgomery; Nessa O'Connor. 2017. "Substratum type and conspecific density as drivers of mussel patch formation." Journal of Sea Research 121, no. : 24-32.

Journal article
Published: 20 January 2017 in Marine Ecology Progress Series
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Nathan Geraldi; Camilla Bertolini; Mark C. Emmerson; Dai Roberts; Julia D. Sigwart; Nessa E. O’Connor. Aggregations of brittle stars can perform similar ecological roles as mussel reefs. Marine Ecology Progress Series 2017, 563, 157 -167.

AMA Style

Nathan Geraldi, Camilla Bertolini, Mark C. Emmerson, Dai Roberts, Julia D. Sigwart, Nessa E. O’Connor. Aggregations of brittle stars can perform similar ecological roles as mussel reefs. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 2017; 563 ():157-167.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Nathan Geraldi; Camilla Bertolini; Mark C. Emmerson; Dai Roberts; Julia D. Sigwart; Nessa E. O’Connor. 2017. "Aggregations of brittle stars can perform similar ecological roles as mussel reefs." Marine Ecology Progress Series 563, no. : 157-167.

Journal article
Published: 29 January 2016 in Scientific Reports
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Ocean acidification is predicted to have detrimental effects on many marine organisms and ecological processes. Despite growing evidence for direct impacts on specific species, few studies have simultaneously considered the effects of ocean acidification on individuals (e.g. consequences for energy budgets and resource partitioning) and population level demographic processes. Here we show that ocean acidification increases energetic demands on gastropods resulting in altered energy allocation, i.e. reduced shell size but increased body mass. When scaled up to the population level, long-term exposure to ocean acidification altered population demography, with evidence of a reduction in the proportion of females in the population and genetic signatures of increased variance in reproductive success among individuals. Such increased variance enhances levels of short-term genetic drift which is predicted to inhibit adaptation. Our study indicates that even against a background of high gene flow, ocean acidification is driving individual- and population-level changes that will impact eco-evolutionary trajectories.

ACS Style

Ben P. Harvey; Niall McKeown; Samuel P. S. Rastrick; Camilla Bertolini; Andy Foggo; Helen Graham; Jason Hall-Spencer; Marco Milazzo; Paul Shaw; Daniel P. Small; Pippa Moore. Individual and population-level responses to ocean acidification. Scientific Reports 2016, 6, 20194 -20194.

AMA Style

Ben P. Harvey, Niall McKeown, Samuel P. S. Rastrick, Camilla Bertolini, Andy Foggo, Helen Graham, Jason Hall-Spencer, Marco Milazzo, Paul Shaw, Daniel P. Small, Pippa Moore. Individual and population-level responses to ocean acidification. Scientific Reports. 2016; 6 (1):20194-20194.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ben P. Harvey; Niall McKeown; Samuel P. S. Rastrick; Camilla Bertolini; Andy Foggo; Helen Graham; Jason Hall-Spencer; Marco Milazzo; Paul Shaw; Daniel P. Small; Pippa Moore. 2016. "Individual and population-level responses to ocean acidification." Scientific Reports 6, no. 1: 20194-20194.

Journal article
Published: 08 December 2015 in ICES Journal of Marine Science
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Most studies assessing the impacts of ocean acidification (OA) on benthic marine invertebrates have used stable mean pH/pCO2 levels to highlight variation in the physiological sensitivities in a range of taxa. However, many marine environments experience natural fluctuations in carbonate chemistry, and to date little attempt has been made to understand the effect of naturally fluctuating seawater pCO2 (pCO2sw) on the physiological capacity of organisms to maintain acid–base homeostasis. Here, for the first time, we exposed two species of sea urchin with different acid–base tolerances, Paracentrotus lividus and Arbacia lixula, to naturally fluctuating pCO2sw conditions at shallow water CO2 seep systems (Vulcano, Italy) and assessed their acid–base responses. Both sea urchin species experienced fluctuations in extracellular coelomic fluid pH, pCO2, and [HCO3−] (pHe, pCO2e, and [HCO3−]e, respectively) in line with fluctuations in pCO2sw. The less tolerant species, P. lividus, had the greatest capacity for [HCO3−]e buffering in response to acute pCO2sw fluctuations, but it also experienced greater extracellular hypercapnia and acidification and was thus unable to fully compensate for acid–base disturbances. Conversely, the more tolerant A. lixula relied on non-bicarbonate protein buffering and greater respiratory control. In the light of these findings, we discuss the possible energetic consequences of increased reliance on bicarbonate buffering activity in P. lividus compared with A. lixula and how these differing physiological responses to acute fluctuations in pCO2sw may be as important as chronic responses to mean changes in pCO2sw when considering how CO2 emissions will affect survival and success of marine organisms within naturally assembled systems.

ACS Style

Daniel P. Small; Marco Milazzo; Camilla Bertolini; Helen Graham; Chris Hauton; Jason M. Hall-Spencer; Samuel P. S. Rastrick. Temporal fluctuations in seawater pCO2 may be as important as mean differences when determining physiological sensitivity in natural systems. ICES Journal of Marine Science 2015, 73, 604 -612.

AMA Style

Daniel P. Small, Marco Milazzo, Camilla Bertolini, Helen Graham, Chris Hauton, Jason M. Hall-Spencer, Samuel P. S. Rastrick. Temporal fluctuations in seawater pCO2 may be as important as mean differences when determining physiological sensitivity in natural systems. ICES Journal of Marine Science. 2015; 73 (3):604-612.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Daniel P. Small; Marco Milazzo; Camilla Bertolini; Helen Graham; Chris Hauton; Jason M. Hall-Spencer; Samuel P. S. Rastrick. 2015. "Temporal fluctuations in seawater pCO2 may be as important as mean differences when determining physiological sensitivity in natural systems." ICES Journal of Marine Science 73, no. 3: 604-612.

Journal article
Published: 09 May 2013 in Integrative and Comparative Biology
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The injection of anthropogenically-produced CO2 into the atmosphere will lead to an increase in temperature and a decrease in pH at the surface of the oceans by 2100. Marine intertidal organisms possess the ability to cope in the short term with environmental fluctuations exceeding predicted values. However, how they will cope with chronic exposure to elevated temperature and pCO2 is virtually unknown. In addition, individuals from the same species/population often show remarkable levels of variation in their responses to complex climatic changes: in particular, variation in metabolic rates often is linked to differences in individuals’ performances and fitness. Despite its ecological and evolutionary importance, inter-individual variation has rarely been investigated within the context of climatic changes, and most investigations have typically employed orthogonal experimental designs paired to analyses of independent samples. Although this is undoubtedly a powerful and useful approach, it may not be the most appropriate for understanding all alterations of biological functions in response to environmental changes. An individual approach arguably should be favored when trying to describe organisms’ responses to climatic change. Consequently, to test which approach had the greater power to discriminate the intensity and direction of an organism’s response to complex climatic changes, we investigated the extracellular osmo/iono-regulatory abilities, upper thermal tolerances (UTTs), and metabolic rates of individual adults of an intertidal amphipod, Echinogammarus marinus, exposed for 15 days to combined elevated temperature and pCO2. The individual approach led to stronger and different predictions on how ectotherms will likely respond to ongoing complex climatic change, compared with the independent approaches. Consequently, this may call into question the relevance, or even the validity, of some of the predictions made to date. Finally, we argue that treating individual differences as biologically meaningful can lead to a better understanding of the physiological responses themselves and the selective processes that will occur with complex climatic changes; selection will likely play a crucial role in defining species’ responses to future environmental changes. Individuals with higher metabolic rates were also characterized by greater extracellular osmo/iono-regulative abilities and higher UTTs, and thus there appeared to be no evolutionary trade-offs between these functions. However, as individuals with greater metabolic rates also have greater costs for maintenance and repair, and likely a lower fraction of energy available for growth and reproduction, trade-offs between life-history and physiological performance may still arise.

ACS Style

P. Calosi; Lucy Turner; M. Hawkins; Camilla Bertolini; G. Nightingale; Manuela Truebano; J. I. Spicer. Multiple Physiological Responses to Multiple Environmental Challenges: An Individual Approach. Integrative and Comparative Biology 2013, 53, 660 -670.

AMA Style

P. Calosi, Lucy Turner, M. Hawkins, Camilla Bertolini, G. Nightingale, Manuela Truebano, J. I. Spicer. Multiple Physiological Responses to Multiple Environmental Challenges: An Individual Approach. Integrative and Comparative Biology. 2013; 53 (4):660-670.

Chicago/Turabian Style

P. Calosi; Lucy Turner; M. Hawkins; Camilla Bertolini; G. Nightingale; Manuela Truebano; J. I. Spicer. 2013. "Multiple Physiological Responses to Multiple Environmental Challenges: An Individual Approach." Integrative and Comparative Biology 53, no. 4: 660-670.