PRELIMINARY DATA ON BENTHIC ASSEMBLAGE OF TRANSITIONAL WATERS IN A LAGOON OF THE NORTHERN ADRIATIC SEA

DATI PRELIMINARI DI POPOLAMENTI BENTONICI DI ACQUE DI TRANSIZIONE IN UNA LAGUNA DEL NORD ADRIATICO

Abstract

Transitional waters are important habitats for the ecological role they represent and for their associated biodiversity. Ten sampling stations were established in Laguna Vallona (Northern Adriatic Sea) in three different time periods: before, during and after an anthropogenic pressure. Benthic assemblages were collected and identified to the lowest taxonomic level. Univariate and multivariate analyses were carried out. Large heterogeneity among stations was observed, with the presence of few species with high abundance, typical features of transitional water, as the Polychaeta Streblospio shrubsolii (Buchanan, 1890), Hediste diversicolor (O.F. Müller, 1776) and the Crustacea Gammarus insensibilis Stock, 1966 and Gammarus aequicauda (Martynov, 1931). Human activities have generated modifications in the macrozoobenthic community; however, the resilience of these communities hallowed a return to a community typical of coastal estuarine environments.