title: Effect of different substrata on rhizome growth, leaf biometry and shoot density of Posidonia oceanica.
abstract: The effects of different substratum typologies on Posidonia oceanica growth and morphology were estimated in four Sicilian meadows using Generalized and Linear Mixed Models combined with retrodating and biometric analyses. Substratum exerted a multiple effect, resulting in different biometric features for P. oceanica shoots settled on rock from those growing on sand and matte. On rock, values for growth rate, leaf length and shoot surface were lower than those on other substrata, with 42%, 23% and 32% the highest degree of difference respectively. The present study may have interesting methodological consequences for the comprehensive understanding of the causative variables potentially affecting meadows features and their health status. The importance of substratum in the prediction of likely biometry changes in P. oceanica meadows, means that knowledge of substratum type should receive due attention in the future to derive reliable estimates of meadow status.
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare (DiSTeM), Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 16, 90128, Palermo, Italy.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Di Maida
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Tomasello
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Sciandra
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Pirrotta
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Milazzo
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Calvo
mesh_terms: D035961:Alismatales / Q000254:growth & development*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D016014:Linear Models; D008954:Models, Biological; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000254:growth & development*; D027343:Rhizome / Q000254:growth & development*; D012802:Sicily