Effects of salinity and temperature on the performance of Cymodocea nodosa and Ruppia cirrhosa: a medium-term laboratory study

Soultana Tsioli; Sotiris Orfanidis; Vasillis Papathanasiou; Christos Katsaros; Athanasios Exadactylos

doi:10.1515/bot-2017-0125

Article

Effects of salinity and temperature on the performance of Cymodocea nodosa and Ruppia cirrhosa: a medium-term laboratory study

Soultana Tsioli
Soultana Tsioli is a final year Phd biologist at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece. She is a member of the Benthic Ecology and Technology Laboratory since 2009. Her research interests focus on ecophysiology of seagrasses, the impacts of global climate changes on seagrasses and systematics of seaweeds. The epiphytes of Cymodocea across a eutrophication gradient have been studied during her diploma thesis.
, Sotiris Orfanidis
Sotiris Orfanidis is a Senior Researcher at Fisheries Research Institute specializing in biodiversity of transitional and coastal waters benthic macrophytes, as well as in their ecophysiological interactions with the abiotic stress, water quality, and climatic changes. His current research focused on using benthic macrophytes as bioindicators (biotic indices) and on sustainable seaweed exploitation (food, feed, and biofuel). He published more than 50 papers in refereed international journals/books. He was involved in several National or European Projects, (co)organized or invited speaker in symposia and workshops, obtained scholarships, and handling editor in two international journals.
, Vasillis Papathanasiou
Vasillis Papathanasiou is a researcher in the Fisheries Research Institute, Nea Peramos, Greece. He has worked on the use of macrophytes as bioindicators of ecological quality and the development of monitoring protocols and programs. He has focused on the experimental study of stress factors and climate change scenarios on seagrasses and their distribution. He worked on the mapping and monitoring of seagrasses in the Greek coasts, through various techniques and on the effect of seagrass meadow quality on epiphytic and decapod assemblages.
, Christos Katsaros
Christos Katsaros is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Biology of the University of Athens Greece, specializing in macroalgal morphogenesis. He awarded a PhD in the morphogenesis of selected brown algae. After that, he extended his research on algae and sea grasses, addressing questions ranging from the cell structure and the role of the cytoskeleton in cell morphogenesis, to host-parasite interactions, as well as to the effects of environmental changes on the cell structure and development.
and Athanasios Exadactylos
Athanasios Exadactylos holds an Academic Staff position in the Department of Ichthyology and Aquatic Environment, at the University of Thessaly, Hellas. Referee for the Hellenic Ministry of Education, General Secretariat of Research and Technology, European Commission experts’ database. Refereeing on scientific papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals and assessing scientific proposals. He is an Editorial Board member in scientific journals. Collaboration in research projects and serves as a leader focusing on aquatic animal and plant genetics footprint. He is a Supervisor of undergraduate, MSc and PhD theses. His research interests are molecular, population, evolutionary and developmental genetics.

Published/Copyright: November 8, 2018

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From the journal Botanica Marina Volume 62 Issue 2

Abstract

The effects of salinity and temperature on the photosynthetic and growth performance of the seagrasses Cymodocea nodosa and Ruppia cirrhosa were studied to understand their local seasonality and distribution. Cymodocea nodosa shoots were collected from Cape Vrasidas, and R. cirrhosa shoots from the coastal lagoon Fanari, all from the Eastern Macedonian and Thrace Region, Greece. Effective quantum yield (ΔF/Fm′), leaf chlorophyll-a content (mg g⁻¹ wet mass) and growth (% of maximum) were tested at different temperatures (10–40°C) and salinities (5–60). The results showed that: (a) R. cirrhosa was more euryhaline (5–55/60) than C. nodosa (10–50), (b) the upper thermal tolerance of C. nodosa (34–35°C) was higher than that of R. cirrhosa (32–34°C), (c) C. nodosa could not tolerate 10°C, whereas R. cirrhosa could, and (d) the growth optimum of C. nodosa was 30°C and that of R. cirrhosa 20–30°C. The thermal optima and tolerances of growth and photosynthesis confirm the seasonal patterns of R. cirrhosa but not of C. nodosa. However, the sensitivity of C. nodosa to low salinities and temperatures may explain its absence from shallow coastal lagoons. Ruppia cirrhosa could be vulnerable to future climate change.

Keywords: benthic macrophytes; chlorophyll fluorometry; factorial experiments

Funding source: European Social Fund

Award Identifier / Grant number: 375425

Funding statement: This research was supported by the European Union (European Social Fund – ESF) and National funds through the Operational Program “Education and Lifelong Learning” of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) – Research Funding Program: THALES (Funder Id: 10.13039/501100004895, MIS: 375425).

About the authors

Soultana Tsioli

Soultana Tsioli is a final year Phd biologist at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece. She is a member of the Benthic Ecology and Technology Laboratory since 2009. Her research interests focus on ecophysiology of seagrasses, the impacts of global climate changes on seagrasses and systematics of seaweeds. The epiphytes of Cymodocea across a eutrophication gradient have been studied during her diploma thesis.

Sotiris Orfanidis

Sotiris Orfanidis is a Senior Researcher at Fisheries Research Institute specializing in biodiversity of transitional and coastal waters benthic macrophytes, as well as in their ecophysiological interactions with the abiotic stress, water quality, and climatic changes. His current research focused on using benthic macrophytes as bioindicators (biotic indices) and on sustainable seaweed exploitation (food, feed, and biofuel). He published more than 50 papers in refereed international journals/books. He was involved in several National or European Projects, (co)organized or invited speaker in symposia and workshops, obtained scholarships, and handling editor in two international journals.

Vasillis Papathanasiou

Vasillis Papathanasiou is a researcher in the Fisheries Research Institute, Nea Peramos, Greece. He has worked on the use of macrophytes as bioindicators of ecological quality and the development of monitoring protocols and programs. He has focused on the experimental study of stress factors and climate change scenarios on seagrasses and their distribution. He worked on the mapping and monitoring of seagrasses in the Greek coasts, through various techniques and on the effect of seagrass meadow quality on epiphytic and decapod assemblages.

Christos Katsaros

Christos Katsaros is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Biology of the University of Athens Greece, specializing in macroalgal morphogenesis. He awarded a PhD in the morphogenesis of selected brown algae. After that, he extended his research on algae and sea grasses, addressing questions ranging from the cell structure and the role of the cytoskeleton in cell morphogenesis, to host-parasite interactions, as well as to the effects of environmental changes on the cell structure and development.

Athanasios Exadactylos

Athanasios Exadactylos holds an Academic Staff position in the Department of Ichthyology and Aquatic Environment, at the University of Thessaly, Hellas. Referee for the Hellenic Ministry of Education, General Secretariat of Research and Technology, European Commission experts’ database. Refereeing on scientific papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals and assessing scientific proposals. He is an Editorial Board member in scientific journals. Collaboration in research projects and serves as a leader focusing on aquatic animal and plant genetics footprint. He is a Supervisor of undergraduate, MSc and PhD theses. His research interests are molecular, population, evolutionary and developmental genetics.

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Received: 2017-12-14

Accepted: 2018-10-02

Published Online: 2018-11-08

Published in Print: 2019-04-24

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https://doi.org/10.1515/bot-2017-0125

Keywords for this article

benthic macrophytes; chlorophyll fluorometry; factorial experiments