engleski

Suggesting bio-indicators of Adriatic Water masses and methods of their detection

In order to determine bio-indicators of Adriatic water masses an interdisciplinary study was conducted in winter conditions in the southern Adriatic Sea. Phytoplankton and zooplankton community was assessed using multiple tools (light and electron microscopy, flow cytometry, molecular phylogeny, high-throughput sequencing, qPCR, high performance liquid chromatography) to confirm the presence and to determine distribution, abundance and diversity of the proposed bio-tracers in sampled water masses. Here we propose cyanobacteria, picoeukaryotes and pennate diatoms as good indicators of the changes in the Adriatic Sea. With the variability and trends of the Adriatic circulation as well as the water mass characteristics brought on by changing climate, we believe that study is timely and needed as it is offering a holistic and integrated approach to oceanography of the Adriatic. Most importantly, this study proposed a new set of interdisciplinary tools that will be essential for future research activities.

bio-indicators, phytoplankton, Adriatic Sea

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