24.616667

24.63125

40.877306

40.859167

18.440917

18.450883

40.219867

40.20125

18.332972

18.341528

40.362694

40.355667

13.090139

13.159167

45.741

45.699917

13.472167

13.473444

45.707139

45.706167

13.358444

13.362306

45.722944

45.719222

19.462778

19.472778

40.920278

40.916944

29.028167

29.038361

44.728917

44.726333

20.891669

20.929169

39.0625

39.029169

15.973

16.006111

41.427222

41.422222

19.395556

19.450278

40.560833

40.505278

19.59

19.606111

41.635278

41.627778

28.931306

28.975778

44.673778

44.625778

17.790139

17.795278

40.714222

40.711194

27.795

27.952883

43.196783

43.184017

2004-10-01

2005-06-20

Info and download page on the LifeWatch Italy Data Portal

DOI

Italian National Research Council

principalInvestigator

University of Salento

principalInvestigator

Data were collected from different habitat types in each transitional water ecosystem and in two seasons (fall 2004 and spring 2005). A factorial combination of three categories of bottom substrate (rock, sand, mud) and four categories of vegetation cover (bare sediments, seagrasses, seaweeds, emergent macrophytes) was used to classify benthic habitats into twelve types. In each ecosystem, the two or three most important habitat types were sampled, with two sampling stations per habitat type and 5 replicates per station (i.e., from 40 to 60 samples per ecosystem; TWReferenceNET ‚ Technical Report on the Biotic Indices of Natural Heritage Safety in Transitional Waters‚www.twreferencenet.eu/ Products section). All samples were collected by box-corer (0.03 square meters), sieved through a 0.5 mm mesh sieve and stored in 4% buffered formalin solution.

In the laboratory, samples were sorted under a stereomicroscope, all invertebrates were identified to the lowest possible taxon, counted, measured (body length) and their body mass determined. Individuals larger than 20 mm were measured with callipers to the nearest 0.5 mm. Body length measurements were performed in accordance with standard procedures available in the literature for the different taxa sampled in this study. Total body length was measured for Hirudinea, Oligochaeta, Nematoda and Nematomorpha. For Insecta, Crustacea and Polichaeta body length was measured as the distance from the anterior part of the head to the end of the last abdominal segment (excluding cerci, antennae and other appendages). Body length was measured as total shell height for Gastropoda and as valve length at the longest point for Bivalvia. All individuals were then oven-dried to constant weight for at least 72 h at 60 °C and then weighed to the nearest ± microgram on a Sartorius (MC 5) micro-analytic balance. All individuals in the same taxonomic category and geographic location were pooled inside numbered crucibles and burned in a muffle furnace at 500 °C for 6h. Mass data were then expressed as ash-free dry weight (AFDW).

The sampling design was as follows: 12 ecosystems, 2 times (Fall and Spring), 2/3 habitat types for ecosystem, 2 sampling stations for habitat type and 5 replicates for station.

The sampling design was as follows: 12 ecosystems, 2 times (Fall and Spring), 2/3 habitat types for ecosystem, 2 sampling stations for habitat type and 5 replicates for station.

In each ecosystem, the two or three most important habitat types were sampled, with two sampling stations per habitat type and 5 replicates per station (i.e., from 40 to 60 samples per ecosystem; TWReferenceNET ‚ Technical Report on the Biotic Indices of Natural Heritage Safety in Transitional Waters‚www.twreferencenet.eu/ Products section). All samples were collected by box-corer (0.03 square meters), sieved through a 0.5 mm mesh sieve and stored in 4% buffered formalin solution.