Resilience of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica following pulse-type disturbance. (July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Noè, Simona; Bellavia, Carmelina; Calvo, Sebastiano; Mazzola, Antonio; Pirrotta, Maria; Sciandra, Mariangela; Vizzini, Salvatrice; Tomasello, Agostino
• Is Part Of: Marine environmental research. Volume 159(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-07
• Subjects: Aquatic plant ecology -- Ecosystem function and service -- Plant development and life-history traits -- CO2 vent -- Recovery -- Perturbation -- Hydrothermal activity -- Stable isotope -- Lepidochronology; Marine pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Marine ecology -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Écologie marine -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 577.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.105011
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0141-1136

Abstract

Abstract: Understanding the response of species to disturbance and the ability to recover is crucial for preventing their potential collapse and ecosystem phase shifts. Explosive submarine activity, occurring in shallow volcanic vents, can be considered as a natural pulse disturbance, due to its suddenness and high intensity, potentially affecting nearby species and ecosystems. Here, we present the response of Posidonia oceanica, a long-lived seagrass, to an exceptional submarine volcanic explosion, which occurred in the Aeolian Archipelago (Italy, Mediterranean Sea) in 2002, and evaluate its resilience in terms of time required to recover after such a pulse event. The study was carried out in 2011 in the sea area off Panarea Island, in the vicinity of Bottaro Island by adopting a back-dating methodological approach, which allowed a retrospective analysis of the growth performance and stable carbon isotopes (δ 13 C) in sheaths and rhizomes of P. oceanica, during a 10-year period (2001–2010). After the 2002 explosion, a trajectory shift towards decreasing values for both growth performance and δ 13 C in sheaths and rhizomes was observed. The decreasing trend reversed in 2004 when recovery took place progressively for all the analysed variables. Full recovery of P. oceanica occurred 8 years after the explosive event with complete restoration of all the variables (rhizome growth performance and δ 13 C) by 2010. Given the ecological importance of this seagrass in marine coastal ecosystems and its documented large-scale decline, the understanding of its potential recovery in response to environmental changes is imperative. Highlights: We studied resilience of Posidonia oceanica after a natural pulse disturbance. We carried out a 10-year retrospective analysis of growth, and sheath and rhizome δ 13 C. Growth performance and δ 13 C decreased soon after disturbance. The decreasing trend reversed 2 years after disturbance. Full recovery occurred 8 years after disturbance.