title: Stable isotope variations in benthic primary producers along the Bosphorus (Turkey): A preliminary study.
abstract: The Bosphorus Strait is a dynamic and complex system. Recent evidences showed nitrogen and heavy metal concentrations to follow opposite patterns across the Strait, suggesting a complex spatial organisation of the anthropogenic disturbance in this system. Here, we provide isotopic information on the origin and transportation of dissolved nitrogen along the Bosphorus. C and N isotopic and elemental analyses were performed on specimens of Ulva lactuca and associated epiphytes sampled in five locations across the Strait. Variations in C and N isotopic signatures were observed in U. lactuca, pointing to a decrease in the availability of anthropogenic organic dissolved nitrogen along a north-south direction. Conversely, epiphytes did not show isotopic or elemental patterns across the Strait. These results suggest that preliminary stable isotope surveys in extended costal systems basing on U. lactuca can represent a valuable tool to focus meaningful targets and hypotheses for pollution studies in the Mediterranean region.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Trophic Ecology, Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, via dei Sardi 70, 00185 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: edoardo.calizza@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Calizza
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University, Fisheries Faculty, Ordu Cad. No. 200, 34470 Laleli, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yelda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aktan
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Trophic Ecology, Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, via dei Sardi 70, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Letizia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Costantini
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Trophic Ecology, Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, via dei Sardi 70, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Loreto
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rossi
mesh_terms: D059038:Black Sea; D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014421:Turkey; D044445:Ulva / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Anthropogenic impact; Bioindicator; Mediterranean Sea; Nitrogen; Pollution; Ulva lactuca