EGG PRODUCTION AND HATCHING SUCCESS IN NORTH ADRIATIC SEA POPULATIONS OF THE COPEPOD Acartia clausi

Egg production, fecal pellet production and hatching success are reported for Acartia clausi females sampled during three cruises in February 1997, 1998 and June 1997 at 20-24 stations along 4 transects in the North Adriatic Sea. Dramatically low hatching rates were recorded during both diatom bloom events in February as opposed to much higher rates during post-bloom conditions in June, even though A. clausi productivity during the bloom was apparently high. These results are discussed in the light of recent findings on the negative impact of diatoms on copepod reproductive potential.     

Three Different Topics for Bioremediation Application on Soils and Waters Contaminated with Aromatic Compounds, by Using Immobilized Bacteria

Molecular techniques and modelling are presented as powerful tools required in the performance of efficient soil and water bioremediation systems. An Escherichia coli CC118-D strain was constructed by inserting the Klebsiella pneumoniae hpa B gene, coding for the unstable 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetate 2,3-dioxygenase, into its chromosome. When the constructed strain was immobilized, both enzyme stability and viability increased along the studied period, in absence of antibiotic. We proposed this strategy as an approach to overcoming plasmid instability and to enhance enzyme activity and stability, avoiding antibiotic utilization. A model was developed to understand and predict the behaviour of bacteria and pollutants in a bioreactor system, considering: fluid dynamics, molecular/cellular scale processes and biofilm formation.     

Biodepressive effect of zinc on humoral effector of theHolothuria polii immune response

High zinc ion concentrations produce an inhibitory effect on the naturally occurring hemolytic activity of theHolothuria polii coelomic fluid and coelomocyte lysate. The naturally occurring hemagglutinating activity remains unaffected. The inhibition appears reversible, suggesting a non-covalent interaction of the ions with the hemolysins. Moreover, as demonstrated by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting analysis, the Zn⁺⁺ treatment does not produce molecular weight variations in the coelomic fluid and coelomocyte lysate hemolytic patterns. This study was conducted during 1987 on samples gathered from the Gulf of Palermo, Italy.     

Changes in the Biochemical Composition of Tetraselmis Suecia and Isochrysis Galbana During Growth and Decay

The variations of the biochemical composition of Tetraselmis suecica and Isochrysis galbana during growth and decay were determined. the content of chlorophyll a (Chl-a) of the cultures, as expected, slowly degraded into phaeopigments during decay, confirming that chlorophyll measurements do not always provide an accurate estimate of phytoplanktonic biomass and, consequently, may fail if used to measure the food availability of particulate matter for consumers. Measurements of total amounts of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids, related to the nutritional value of particles in terms of caloric content, are shown to provide information on the readily available food for consumers, particularly during the blooms. the protein/carbohydrate, C/N and POC/Chl-a ratios were used to evaluate the differences between these two species during the growth and the decomposition processes. A comparison between experimental and field conditions was undertaken to implement our understanding of the growth and degradation processes of particulate organic matter of phytoplanktonic origin in the sea and its role on natural systems, during and after phytoplankton blooms.