@article {436,
	title = {Effects of climate, invasive species and anthropogenic impacts on the growth of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile in Liguria (NW Mediterranean Sea)},
	journal = {Marine Pollution Bulletin},
	volume = {50},
	year = {2005},
	abstract = {<p>Eight shallow water Posidonia oceanica meadows were sampled in June 1999  along 300 km of the Ligurian coast and were compared through shoot  density and lepidochronology. The growth of the seagrass was examined in  the light of climate fluctuations and local stresses, colonisation by  alien, invasive alga Caulerpa taxifolia, and effects of the oil spill  from the tanker {\textquoteright}{\textquoteright}Haven{\textquoteright}{\textquoteright}, and other anthropogenic impacts. Both shoot  density and lepidochronology pointed to a generalised state of  regression of all the meadows. The analysis of long-term growth curves  of the rhizomes showed a positive trend parallel to the increase of air  temperature. Two main groups of meadows were individuated on the basis  of growth curve similarity. The first included four meadows, namely  Ventimiglia, Imperia, Noli and Prelo, that were characterised by average  values of rhizome growth of 8-9.1 mm year1 and shoot density greater  than 200 shoots m2. Although the Imperia meadow was the only one where  the alien invasive alga C. taxifolia was found, it did not show  differences for rhizome growth in comparison to the other meadows. The  second group was formed by meadows that had suffered past anthropogenic  impacts: Arenzano and Monterosso al Mare. They showed higher rhizome  growth rates (9.4-10.6 mm year1) and shoot densities between 200 and 100  shoots m2. At Arenzano, where {\textquoteright}{\textquoteright}Haven{\textquoteright}{\textquoteright} oil was stranded in April 1991,  no rhizome older than 8 years was found, thus confirming the shoot  mortality induced by the oil spill event. The two last meadows exhibited  growth curves very different from all the others: Portovenere, is a  shallow meadow where P. oceanica merely survives in an extremely  degraded situation with highest rhizome growth rate (12 mm year1), the  other, Riva Trigoso, is the only meadow implanted on rock and had the  lowest growth rates (7.1 mm year1).</p>},
	keywords = {alga, alien species, changement climatique, climate, climate change, esp{\`e}ce invasive, impact, Italie, Italy, Ligurian Sea, meadow, Mediterranean sea, M{\'e}diterran{\'e}e nord-occidentale, M{\'e}diterrann{\'e}e occidentale, Mer Ligure, Mer M{\'e}diterran{\'e}e, mortality, north-western Mediterranean, oil spill, phan{\'e}rogame marine, Posidonia oceanica, sea water temperature, seagrass, shallow water, temperature, temp{\'e}rature de l{\textquoteright}eau de mer, trend, western Mediterranean},
	author = {A. Peirano and V. Damasso and M. Montefalcone and C. Morri and C.N. Bianchi}
}
