engleski

Submarine freshwater springs: a unique habitat for the bryozoan Pentapora fascialis

Large colonies of the bryozoan Pentapora fascialis growing inside the plume of submarine freshwater springs (vruljas) has been surveyed. In the surveyed area, P. fascialis grows only under the influence of vrulja's outflow, at the depth range from 35 m to 1 m. We have investigated the water composition and the temperature of the vrulja's plume. The amount of nutrients and carbonates coming from vrulja's plume were measured during winter and summer conditions. The amount of nutrients (nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, ammonia and silicate) has been considerably higher inside the vruljas than in the seawater. Furthermore, the amount of total CO2, dissolved CO2 and bicarbonate has been higher inside the plume, while carbonate had lower values inside vruljas plume than in the seawater. The temperature of vrulja's outflow was constant throughout the year and varied between 9, 76 and 11, 16°C, while the seawater temperature varied between 8, 22 and 23, 52°C at 25 m of depth.

Bryozoan Pentapora fascialis; Submarine freshwater springs; Adriatic Sea

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