title: The Mediterranean non-indigenous ascidian Polyandrocarpa zorritensis: Microbiological accumulation capability and environmental implications.
abstract: We investigated the bacterial accumulation and digestion capability of Polyandrocarpa zorritensis, a non-indigenous colonial ascidian originally described in Peru and later found in the Mediterranean. Microbiological analyses were carried out on homogenates from "unstarved" and "starved" ascidians and seawater from the same sampling site (Adriatic Sea, Italy). Culturable heterotrophic bacteria (22 °C), total culturable bacteria (37 °C) and vibrios abundances were determined on Marine Agar 2216, Plate Count Agar and TCBS Agar, respectively. Microbial pollution indicators were measured by the most probable number method. All the examined microbiological groups were accumulated by ascidians but differently digested. An interesting outcome is the capability of P. zorritensis to digest allochthonous microorganisms such as coliforms as well as culturable bacteria at 37 °C, counteracting the effects of microbial pollution. Thus, the potential exploitation of these filter feeders to restore polluted seawater should be taken into consideration in the management of this alien species.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali (Di.S.Te.B.A.), Via Prov. Lecce-Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy; Istituto per l'Ambiente Marino Costiero - Sezione di Taranto - CNR, Via Roma 3, 74100 Taranto, Italy. Electronic address: loredana.stabili@iamc.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stabili
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali (Di.S.Te.B.A.), Via Prov. Lecce-Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy. Electronic address: margherita.licciano@unisalento.it.
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Licciano
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia Animale ed Ambientale, Università di Bari, Via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy. Electronic address: c.longo@biologia.uniba.it.
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali (Di.S.Te.B.A.), Via Prov. Lecce-Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy. Electronic address: marcolezzi86@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lezzi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali (Di.S.Te.B.A.), Via Prov. Lecce-Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy. Electronic address: adriana.giangrande@unisalento.it.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giangrande
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004777:Environment; D058865:Introduced Species; D007558:Italy; D010568:Peru; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology*; D014561:Urochordata / Q000382:microbiology*; D014871:Water Microbiology
keywords: Alien species; Bacterial accumulation; Bioremediation; Microbial pollution; Polyandrocarpa zorritensis