INSTITUTE OF OCEANOGRAPHY AND FISHERIES Annual …Project“(“Projekt Jadran”), the surveillance measuring system of oceanographic buoys was developed. At the same time, in order

INSTITUTE OF OCEANOGRAPHY AND FISHERIES

Annual Report 2009 - 2010

www.izor.hr

INSTITUTE OF OCEANOGRAPHY AND FISHERIES

Annual Report2009 - 2010

Editor:

Ivona Marasović

Editorial board:

Branka GrbecOlja Vidjak

Ante Žuljević

Contributors:

Ingrid Čatić, Vlado Dadić, Marija Despalatović, Branko Dragičević, Jakov Dulčić,

Živana Ninčević-Gladan, Vanja Čikeš Keč, Nada Krstulović, Grozdan Kušpilić,

Anita Maručić, Jasna Maršić Lučić, Slavica Matijević, Mira Morović,

Vedran Nikolić, Gorenka Sinovčić, Sanja Matić-Skoko, Mladen Šolić.

Layout and design:Ante Žuljević

Split, December 2010.

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In this biannual report of the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries for the years 2009 and 2010 we should especially pay attention to the year 2009 which was very important for the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, because after 56 years the Institute got a new oceanographic research vessel, the BIOS II. The name BIOS II symbolizes the long tradition of the Institute in scientific research, because the new ship, together with the name has assumed all those tasks that the old BIOS for years successfully carried out, and which shall now be performed in much shorter time and with much more complex and modern equipment. After many years of use and countless trips in the Adriatic waters, the old BIOS was no longer adequate for all the challenges that research and today’s modern science require. With the new research vessel, the Institute can be actively and equally involved in all major international projects undertaken in the Adriatic, and even the Mediterranean. BIOS II is 37 meters long, has the latest equipment for oceanographic and fisheries research, 15 double cabins equipped with private toilet facilities, lounges, laboratories, and the area where the ship can carry out the research includes the Adriatic and the Mediterranean Sea. The new ship was built with joint funds of the Institute and the Ministry of Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia, so I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all former and current employees of the Institute, who with their work and renunciation contributed to this project. Besides the acquisition of new ship, in 2009 laboratory facilities for testing the shellfish toxicity were additionally equipped, and now, in addition to HPLC and other standard equipment, are equipped with the latest LC / MS / MS device. In 2010 experimental hatchery has been completely updated, thus enabling the Institute to be opened to additional opportunities of involvement in the international research projects related to the introduction

of new species in marine aquaculture, which is now considered a key scientific problem in the investigation of the sea food. By the beginning of 2010, after many years of failed efforts, the Institute has managed to obtain new workspaces, but because of the global recession which is reflected onto the operations of the Institute, restoration and renovation of these areas are likely to be slowed. Scientific activity of the Institute in 2009 and 2010 took place within twenty national and international scientific research projects and results of this activity are manifested through the papers published in CC journals as well as in a number of scientific papers by researchers of the Institute presented at some forty international scientific meetings and published in the congress proceedings. During 2009 and 2010 the Institute was the organizer of six international conferences and workshops related to the on-going projects. In addition, in 2009 several significant international projects were completed. At the same time work began on two new international projects (FP7 and IPA), while four international projects are still under evaluation, which should be completed by the end of 2010. In the last few years, the Institute is increasingly focusing on the use of funds from international sources; due to the high cost of oceanographic research our national funds for research projects are insufficient for conducting regular surveys of the sea.

In Split, December 2010.

Director of the Institute Prof. Ivona Marasović

Preface

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The Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries was founded in 1930 as the first national institution for sea research. The project of Institute’s foundation was very seriously approached, so it took 10 years for the completion of the plan. The first director of the Institute, the Norwegian professor Dr. Hjalmar Broch was chosen through the international job competition. Prof. Broch moved from Oslo to Split to organize scientific work in the Institute, based on Norwegian experiences. Three main aims of the Institute’s activities were also established:1. pure scientific research2. application of scientific results in order to improve fisheries development3. educating young scientists and wider public.After Prof. H. Broch left the Institute, there was already a group of young scientists who went to specialize abroad (to France, Germany, Denmark). The Institute was then led by the Scientific Council which consisted of several well-known scientists (Stanković, Vouk, Đorđević and Hadži). At that time, a systematic research at sea was initiated, within which four permanent oceanographic stations in the central Adriatic were established. The Institute continued its activities during the Second World War, although with lower intensity. After the War, Prof. Dr. Tonko Šoljan became the director and initiated one of the most active and successful periods in the history of this Institute. The most important project of the Institute in that period was organizing the “Hvar” Expedition (1948-49), an endeavor that by its size and number of collected data represents even today a unique accomplishment in oceanography of the Adriatic Sea. At that time, regular monthly samplings and measurements of physical, chemical and plankton parameters on the transect Split-Gargano also began, which are continued to this day.Based on those data, scientists of the Institute gained new and important insights into the dynamics of the Adriatic waters (known as “Adriatic ingressions”), and insights into the correlation between occasional increased inflow of Mediterranean water into the Adriatic and increased productivity of the Adriatic waters.During the 1960’s, the Institute was especially active through participation in the international expedition MGG (expedition organized in honor of International Geophysics Year), within which the research was performed on the same transects as in the time of the

A Brief History of the Institutefamous expeditions NAJADAE and CICLOPE (1911-1914). In the early 60’s the Institute began with monthly measurements of phytoplankton primary production in the coastal and open sea of the middle Adriatic, which was the first research of that kind in the Adriatic Sea. Beginning of the seventies was marked by a new activity, focusing on the coastal area. More specifically, rapid urbanization of coastal area has resulted in the appearance of pollution of certain parts of the coastal sea, creating the need for development of ecological studies. At that time the monitoring program “VIR-KONAVLE” was established, to investigate the quality of seawater in Dalmatian coastal area. This monitoring program is taking place even today. In mid-seventies, the “Biological Institute” from Dubrovnik joined the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries. It was reorganized into two separate laboratories of the Institute and in this form its activities continued until 2006, when it joined the University of Dubrovnik.At the beginning of 80’s, the International Summer School “Fisheries Educational Centre for Developing Countries” started and it existed as a three-month course from 1981 to 1990, i.e. till the beginning of the War. This period was marked by the successes of the Institute’s scientists in the research of early developmental stages of sea bass, which was extremely important for aquaculture in the whole Mediterranean.At that time the work on organizing and equipping a computer center began, with intention to establish the Central Database for the Adriatic Sea.In the early nineties the Institute was very actively involved in educational activities and, within the University of Split, organized the Department of Marine Studies, the first and only program of its kind in Croatia.

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Architect Fabijan Kaliterna was born in Split in 1886. Upon completion of the secondary education (Velika realka), in 1906 he enrolled in the Building Department of Higher Technical School in Prague, as one of eleven students from Dalmatia. The following year he got transferred to the Department of Architecture as the first student from Dalmatia. To students from Split, the tradition of studying technical sciences in Prague was associated with strong national patriotic feeling and atmosphere of Slavic solidarity, due to easily understandable Czech language and numerous already established contacts (through tourism, trade, culture and sports). Because of the First World War Kaliterna did not graduate until 1921, after which he founded the Office in Split as authorized architect. Fabijan Kaliterna belongs to the first generation of Prague architecture students (together with Kodl, Žagar, Celić, Ivačić), whose work is characterized as significant for the architecture of Split and Dalmatia between the two World wars. He was the main representative of the style in architecture of that period, as well as of the beginning and a mature expression of modern architecture, which he sought to promote through traditional and contextual approach, finding foothold in the historical heritage and craft traditions in the processing of materials.

FABIJAN KALITERNA, Architect (1886 - 1952)

Cooperation with the University of Split and University of Dubrovnik continued through the establishment of joint PhD program in Applied Marine Sciences. Collaboration with the University of Zagreb and Institute “Ruđer Bošković” was realized through establishment of the joint PhD program in Oceanology.The late nineties, as well as the beginning of the new century, were characterized by intense international cooperation, human resources restoration, acquisition of modern research equipment and the construction of a new research vessel.

Within the National monitoring program “The Adriatic Project“(“Projekt Jadran”), the surveillance measuring system of oceanographic buoys was developed. At the same time, in order to ensure the safe storage and quality verification of the collected data, as well as to make them more accessible to end users, the Institute’s databank was developed. Today this databank contains more than 80% of all the different measurements data in the Adriatic Sea.

He designed about four hundred projects and realized more than two hundred buildings, mostly family houses. Less represented in his work are public buildings, among which the most famous is of the Oceanographic Institute on Cape Marjan. During the design of the building (after-competition and competition works) through compression and reduction of architectural expression Kaliterna realized an archetypal form that is based on traditional use of the material and is also regarded as an exceptional example of a remarkable public building set apart from the landscape. A special part of his architectural opus is dedicated to spatial studies and proposals for urban landscaping. After his professional forming in Prague as one of the Europe’s centers of modern architecture and art, he maintained regular contacts with his Prague colleges. In his architectural opus, Fabian Kaliterna over time passed through purification from sentimental and romantic regional approach towards a rational and modern contextual approach. As a spatial planner of a large city, Kaliterna moves over time from the eclectic to the modernist avant-garde expressions. Despite his important role in building of the city between the two world wars, Fabijan Kaliterna is more famous today as the founder of large number of Split’s sport clubs, and because of his merits he became famous as “the father of sports in the city of Split”.

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Mission and Vision of the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries

Mission of the Institute for Oceanography and Fisheries is to be a center for scientific excellence within the area of marine research and marine fisheries, following the international research standards and respecting the specific interests of the Republic of Croatia. The mission of the Institute is accomplished through:

Strategic national and international scientific research,Research motivated by new ideas and curiosity,Professional activities, technological development and cooperation with economy,Conducting and maintaining of the oceanographic and fishery services,Education and transfer of knowledge.

Vision of the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries is to become a national center for marine research and fisheries in the Republic of Croatia and to become an inevitable factor and center of the oceanographic and fishery research activities concerning the Adriatic Sea. Accomplishment of the Institute’s vision includes creation of the human and infrastructural capacities necessary for accomplishing the vision of the Institute and realization of the specific aims, especially the following ones:

Reinforcement of the quantity and quality of the research teams,Establishment of the new research activities based on multidisciplinary approach,Encouraging the mobility of the scientists, to and from the Institute,Strengthening of the professional and management staff, and the administrative support,Solution of the strategic infrastructural needs.

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Laboratory of Marine PhysicsLABORATORY OF MARINE PHYSICS

Head of the LaboratoryMira Morović, Ph.D., Research scientist ([email protected]) - marine physics, marine optics, remote sensing, climate, physics of marine ecosystem.

Staff:Branka Grbec, Ph.D., Senior research scientist ([email protected])- marine physics, thermohaline properties, air-sea interaction, climatology Ivica Vilibić, Ph.D., Senior research scientist ([email protected])- meteo-tsunamis, waves, sea level oscillations Gordana Beg Paklar, Ph.D., Research scientist ([email protected])- marine physics, hydrodynamical models of the sea, air-sea interaction Vlado Dadić, Ph.D., Senior research scientist ([email protected])- oceanographic instrumentation and measurement systems, data handling, the use of geographic information systemsJadranka Šepić, B.Sc., Assistant ([email protected]) - meteo-tsunamis, waves, sea level oscillations Frano Matić, M.Sc., Associate ([email protected]) - marine physics, air-sea interaction, climate regimes, climatology Nikola Bubić, Associate ([email protected]) Toni Mašće, Associate ([email protected]) Josip Bašić, Associate ([email protected]) Siniša Marasović, Associate ([email protected])

Overview of the Laboratory’s activities:Investigations of physical properties are the basis of oceanographic research and have been conducted since the foundation of the Institute. Laboratory of physics explores the impact of climatic factors to thermohaline properties, circulation in the sea, influence of synoptic disturbances (meteo-tsunami) on sea level oscillations, the optical properties of the sea and the relationship of biotic and abiotic factors.Hydrodynamic modeling simulates the processes and properties in the sea providing currents and thermohaline fields in the sea. The Institute has a long-term data series of temperature and salinity collected

during oceanographic cruises, whose meta-data are available to the public through the database MEDAS Database of the Adriatic Sea) at the web site (http://jadran.izor.hr/roscop/) while the data can be obtained with authorization. The Laboratory maintains the buoy Jadranka and coastal station Jurana, both with meteorological and oceanographic sensors. Tide gauge station Jurana operates since 1949, and in 1993 was equipped with digital tide gauge, whose data are available in real time. Most of the data collected at these stations and their products, the graphs, are available to the public via the web, in real time (http://www.izor.hr/web/guest/mjerni-sustavi-u-realnom-vremenu).The buoys Višanka and Rovinjka and the coastal station Veli Rat are in preparation phase. The system of three microbarographs was set up in Vis, Vrboska and Vela Luka, with the aim of detecting high-frequency atmospheric fluctuations that can significantly affect the sea level and cause the so-called meteorological tsunami. Measurements data are available on the Web in real time (http://jadran.izor.hr/barograf/).Agreement between the IOF and the DHMZ (Meteorological and Hydrological Service) has enabled collaboration and synergy between research results of both organizations. This resulted in a shared virtual laboratory for monitoring the variability of physical parameters in the atmosphere, boundary layer air-sea and the sea.

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At the website of Virtual Laboratory (http://www.izor.hr/ web / guest / virtual-lab) the results of thermohaline measurements of IOF and the measurements of surface temperature and atmospheric reanalysis over the sea for the period of oceanographic measurements from SMHS are available to users in near-real time after the oceanographic cruises.

Top activities:The measurements are essential for oceanography so, collection, storage and processing of data from our field research were our indispensable activities. The most significant activities were carried out through the basic research activities projects, supported by the MZOS (Ministry of Science, Education and Sports), as well as through several international projects and some projects with industry, some of which are described in the following segments. Of particular importance was the establishment of the Virtual Laboratory. To ensure the continued work quality, the CTD probes are calibrated each year as a precondition for future accreditation for such measurements.

Projects:

Co-oscillations of atmosphere and the sea important for the Adriatic ecosystemFinanced by: Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and SportsProject leader: Mira Morović

The studies and discussions about the climatic changes and their influence to the ecosystem assume a steady increase of the air temperature, as a consequence of increasing anthropogenic contribution to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In addition to these slow and long-lasting climatic changes, there occur abrupt changes which do not always have global character. A new paradigm about abrupt climatic changes assumes different regional regimes of shorter duration (decades). It is important to investigate climatic shifts for their influence to climate but also for influences that they can cause in the marine ecosystem. The main scope of the project is defining the stable climatic states and climatic indices with the purpose of prediction of the future states. Climate indices will be investigated from analysis of atmospheric fields like pressure, temperature, precipitation, heat and water fluxes, surface wind stress at spatial scales larger than the Adriatic that influence circulation, boundary layer conditions and thermohaline properties. The conditions in the sea will be monitored with systematic measurements at stations in the Middle Adriatic. Numerical models will be used for simulations on the decadal scales, to reveal response of the Adriatic to climatic variability of the atmospheric forcing. With results of numerical simulations we’ll try to interpret the causes of abrupt changes in the ecosystem within the last 50 years, and to give predictions of the future climate states and their influence to the ecosystem. Measurements of light attenuation and incoming

radiation will allow better definition of parameters used in numerical models. Novel statistical methods will be used to detect fast reorganisation of the ecosystem from one relatively stable state to another. The ecosystem regime control will be developed as a basis for timely alert at the beginning of new climate regime in the atmosphere and sea.

Investigation and monitoring systems for the unusual Adriatic dynamicsFinanced by: Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and SportsProject leader: Ivica Vilibić

The purpose of this project is to broaden the knowledge about unusual and extraordinary dynamics occurring in the Adriatic Sea, as well as the development of the monitoring, communication and alarming systems for

Results of optical measurements in the sea.

Oceanographic buoy in the Kaštela Bay.

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the mitigation of these phenomena which may be of real danger for the coastal regions, infrastructure and population. The investigation of particular problems will be conducted in the project, including: (i) unusual atmospheric phenomena and their manifestation in the sea, (ii) historical records and instrumental measurements of the seismic and other tsunamis in the Adriatic Sea, (iii) extraordinary baroclinic waves (trapped waves and internal tides), (iv) dense water currents and rapid changes of deep biogeochemical properties, (v) design and building of the data acquisition systems in real or near-real time, including those being useful for the alarming systems for the destructive dynamic phenomena (e.g. tsunami), and (vi) development and upgrading of numerical models, including those being capable for the hindcasting and forecasting in real or near-real time. The outcome of the research includes new findings about the unusual and extraordinary Adriatic dynamics, which may have an impact to the quality of the coastal and ocean management, to the coastal infrastructure and human activities in the coastal regions. In addition, technological research and development will be a significant part of the project, including the development of monitoring and communication systems in real time, which is an essential component for the mitigation of any destructive dynamic process (e.g. tsunami). The usefulness of these systems became undoubtedly obvious after the Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004, when tens of thousands of human lives could have been saved by such a system, which was not available at the time. Furthermore, the investigations of unusual dynamical phenomenon in the Adriatic should be implemented in any applied study dealing with the sea and the coast, such as engineering of any hydrotechnical object in the sea (e.g. oil and water pipelines, piers, bridge towers, oil platforms) as well as for the investigations of accidental spreading of a pollutant in the surface (oil spills) and bottom (sewage discharges) layers.

Development and application of advanced algorithms in operational oceanography (IP-OCEAN)Financed by: Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and SportsProject leader: Ivica Vilibić

The project has established a network of microbarographs operating in real-time in the central Adriatic. The appropriate dynamic web interface can be viewed at http://jadran. izor.hr. Furthermore, an algorithm for detection of potential jump in air pressure is developed and tested. Using the surface currents measurement by high frequency radars in the northern Adriatic (http://www.izor.hr/nascum), an algorithm based on a modified least squares method for calculating sea currents was developed within the project.

SEADATANET (European System for searching marine information) Financed by: European Union (FP6) Project leader: Vlado Dadić

The goals of this project are: (1) Building a robust European standardized system for handling a large number of various data collected from oceanographic research vessels and automatic measurement systems. (2) Connecting the oceanographic data centers in a unique network via the Internet, thus enabling easy search, selection and retrieving of the oceanographic data regardless of the location of the national data center. The system will enable retrieving of various oceanographic data and the analysis from all the seas surrounding Europe.

NASCUM (Measurement of surface currents with HF radars in the northern Adriatic Sea) Financed by: European Union (Interreg IIIA) Project leader: Vlado Dadić

The goals of this project are:

(1) Installation and start-up of operational network of HF radars along the western coast of Istrian peninsula for measurements of surface currents in the northern Adriatic.

(2) Sending data and output information to a wide range of interested users, including the state and local officials, in charge of management activities and monitoring of ecological state of the marine environment.

(3) Enabling the interested parties to use the “on-line mode” measured data and the products for proper and timely decision-making in case of need.

Web page for microbarograph measurements.

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Croatian National Monitoring Programme “Systematic Research of the Adriatic Sea as a Base for Sustainable Development of the Republic of Croatia”Customer of Project: Goverment of the Republic of CroatiaContractors: IOR; IRB; HHI; IMP; UniDu; PMF

In the frame of the project the member of the Laboratory leads the topic 4.2.1. Automatic measurements systems with buoys and real time data transmission (AMOS), while with analysis of the middle Adriatic transparency and thermohaline data, the Laboratory members participate under topics 1.4., 1.5., 3.1. and 3.2. These data represent the basis for detecting unusual natural phenomena. Working on the Project, in the Laboratory of physical oceanography, the system of rapid temperature and salinity data availability is developed enabling control of termohaline variability in a near real time.

speed and direction climatology, extreme weather, Bora wind, extreme weather, wind energy. Collaborators:Mira Morović, Ph.D., Research scientist; ([email protected]) - marine optics, remote sensing, physics of marine ecosystem, long term changes. Gordana Beg Paklar, Ph.D., Research scientist ([email protected]) - hydrodynamical models of the sea, air sea interaction Frano Matić, M.Sc., Associate ([email protected]) – air sea interaction, climate regimes, climatologyNikola Bubić, B.Sc., Associate, ([email protected]) – data acquisition, processing and graphical representation Damir Ivanković, B.Sc., Associate ([email protected]) - web page maintenanceStjepan Ivatek-Šahdan, M.Sc., Head of monitoring and maintenance of operational forecast models - modeling of atmospheric processes, Bora and Sirocco windsBranka Ivančan-Picek, Ph.D., Assistant Director, DHMZ, Zagreb – Local and mezzo-scale atmospheric processes, extreme weather -

About the LaboratoryThe basic idea of the establishment of the Virtual Laboratory http://www.izor.hr/web/guest/virtual-laboratory is monitoring of the variability of physical parameters in the atmosphere, boundary layer air-sea and sea, and the availability for education and scientific community to access these data in a near-real-time. Using modern methods of measurement and analysis, together with modern information technologies, the ViLab web site provides information of the measured and forecasted parameters in the atmosphere and the sea at various spatial and temporal scales. The presented contents are related to the monitoring of the atmosphere over the Adriatic Sea, of the boundary layer and water column, as a result of the continuous activities of the Laboratory of Physical Oceanography of the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (IOF) and the Meteorological Research and Development Service of the National Meteorological and Hydrological Service (DHMZ). Since the goal of ViLab is explanation of thermohaline circulation in the Adriatic Sea (by monitoring the variability of physical parameters in the atmosphere, air-sea boundary layer and in the sea), which determines the changes in the marine ecosystem, the group SECCHI (Sea Ecosystem Climate Change Interaction) was also established. SECCHI group aims to answer the question why the atmospheric processes are responsible for the variability of marine biotic properties, from the phytoplankton communities to the abundance and composition of fish populations. Previous research results of these changes on the synoptic, decadal and inter-annual scale point to the fact that changes in the atmosphere at regional and larger spatial scales control the changes of circulation in the Adriatic. Circulation changes are partly responsible for the changes in the ecosystem.

Web page of NASCUM project. The surface currents obtained by HF radars.

Virtual laboratory VILABInter-institutional collaboration between IOR and DHMZ, Zagreb

Heads of the VILAB:Branka Grbec, Ph.D., Senior research scientist (IOR-Split, [email protected]) - thermohaline properties, air-sea interaction, climatology Alica Bajić, M.Sc., Head of Department for research and modeling of atmospheric processes, DHMZ, Zagreb - local and mezzo-scale atmospheric processes, wind

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Top activities:In the first year of work ViLab generated a system of analysis for the data measured in the Adriatic Sea and their comparison with the state of the atmosphere at the time of measurement, as well as near-real-time graphical display of results on ViLab web site. In addition, the measured sea surface temperature values and their anomalies are also presented. Based on scientific and technical references of the laboratory collaborators, this way of presenting results has positive feedbacks in the scientific community, both locally and internationally. The applications on several international research projects are ongoing. The monitoring results of atmospheric and oceanographic parameters are presented in the Vilab’s web pages. On the ViLab web pages, presented are the results of operational numerical atmospheric model ALADIN, namely: surface air temperature over the Adriatic Sea, wind and air pressure, vertical distribution of wind speed and direction at the Split - Mt Gargano and Sibenik-Ortona transects, for the dates of oceanographic measurements of temperature, salinity and density at the Split - Mt Gargano and Sibenik-Ortona transects.

Projects:

Storms and natural disastersFinanced by: MZOSProject leader: Branka Ivančan-Picek

With diagnostic studies and numerical experiments the intention is to create a more complete picture of the storm creation process, which often has disastrous consequences. This research is based on the results of numerical modeling with mezzo-models ALADIN / HR, MM5 and COAMPS. Special attention was paid to the

development of the Adriatic cyclones and recognition of the Adriatic basin as an area for cyclogenesis within the Mediterranean area. Observations, prognostic experience and recent studies indicate that it is often a completely independent leeward mezzo-scale cyclogenesis over the northern Adriatic, usually associated with frontal deformation caused by the Dinarides. Horizontal dimensions of these eddies are usually of the size of 100 km. As a consequence of the formation of these vortices, besides very strong winds (Bora and Sirocco) large amounts of rainfall occur, which are sometimes associated with deep convection.

ALADIN Project for development and application of numerical weather forecast model in a limited area Financed by: International cooperation project (France, Belgium, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Check Republic, Slovenia, Romania, Portugal, Poland, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Turkey, Croatia) – DHMZProject leader: Alica Bajić

ALADIN (Aire Limitée Adaptation dynamique Développement InterNational) is a Numerical Weather Prediction project, basically a project of cooperation between Member States in Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP). The main tasks of the project are: development of NWP system and its application in a limited geographical area, work on a small domain with high spatial resolution in order to forecast atmospheric processes important for fine-scale (eg. local winds, thunderstorms, convection zones) and the development of advanced tools for numerical weather prediction, where all partners participate in research and development of model with the aim that each participant can use the obtained results.

Mean currents field for the period 13.02. – 13.03. 2008 at depths of 2 and 26 m.

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Selected publications:

Morović, Mira; Precali, Robert; Grbec, Branka; Matijević, Slavica. 2010. Spatial and temporal variability of transparency in the eastern Adriatic Sea, Fresenius Environmental Bulletin 19 (9) 1862 - 1868.

Vilibić, Ivica. 2010. How much the shared ocean or lake basins connect the researchers in neighbouring countries?. Scientometrics. 83 (2): 463-470.

Vilibić, Ivica; Šepić, Jadranka. 2010. Long-term variability and trends of sea level storminess and extremes in European Seas. Global and planetary change. 71 (1/2): 1-12.

Vilibić, Ivica; Šepić, Jadranka; Dadić, Vlado; Mihanović, Hrvoje. (2010) Fortnightly oscillations observed in the Adriatic Sea. Ocean dynamics. 60: 57-63.

Beg Paklar, Gordana; Koračin, Darko; Dorman, Clive. 2009. Wind-induced ocean circulation along California and Baja California coasts in June 1999. Atmospheric Research. 94 (1): 106-133.

Krstulović Šifner, Svjetlana; Vrgoč, Nedo; Dadić, Vlado; Isajlović, Igor; Peharda, Melita; Piccinetti, Corrado.2009. Long-term changes in distribution and demographic composition of Thornback ray, Raja clavata, in the northern and central Adriatic Sea. Journal of Applied Ichthyology. 25 (s1): 40-46.

Šepić, Jadranka; Denis, Lydie; Vilibić, Ivica. Real-time procedure for detection of a meteotsunami within an early tsunami warning system. 2009. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth. 34 (17-18): 1023-1031.

Šepić, Jadranka; Vilibić, Ivica; Belušić, Danijel. 2009. Source of the 2007 Ist meteotsunami (Adriatic Sea). Journal of Geophysical Research. 114 (C01016): 1-14.

Šepić, Jadranka; Vilibić, Ivica; Monserrat, Sebastian. 2009. Teleconnections between the Adriatic and the Balearic meteotsunamis. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth. 34 (17-18): 928-937.

Vilibić, Ivica; Book, J.W.; Beg Paklar, Gordana; Orlić, Mirko; Dadić, Vlado; Tudor, Martina; Martin, P.J.; Pasarić, Miroslava; Grbec, Branka; Matić, Frano; Mihanović, Hrvoje; Morović, Mira. 2009. West Adriatic coastal water excursions into the East Adriatic. Journal of Marine Systems. 78 (S1): S132-S156.

Vilibić, Ivica; Šepić, Jadranka. 2009. Destructive meteotsunamis along the eastern Adriatic coast (Overview). Physics and Chemistry of the Earth. 34 (17-18): 904-917.

Lučić, Davor; Benović, Adam; Morović, Mira; Batistić, Mirna; Onofri, Ivona. 2009. Diel vertical migration of medusae in the open Southern Adriatic Sea over a short time period (July 2003). Marine Ecology - An Evolutionary Perspective. 30 (1): 16-32.

Vučetić, Tamara; Vilibić, Ivica; Tinti, Stefano; Maramai, Alessandra. 2009. The Great Adriatic flood of 21 June 1978 revisited: An overview of the reports. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth. 34 (17-18): 894-903.

Grbec, Branka; Morović, Mira; Kušpilić, Grozdan; Matijević, Slavica; Matić, Frano; Beg Paklar, Gordana; Ninčević, Živana. 2009. The relationship between the atmospheric variability and productivity in the Adriatic Sea area. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. 89 (8): 1549-1558.

Grbec, Branka; Morović, Mira; Kušpilić, Grozdan; Matijević, Slavica; Matić, Frano; Beg Paklar, Gordana; Ninčević, Živana. The relationship between the atmospheric variability and productivity in the Adriatic Sea area. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. 89 (2009), 8; 1549-1558 (članak, znanstveni).

Horvath, Kristian; Ivatek-Šahdan, Stjepan; Ivančan-Picek, Branka; Grubišić, Vanda. Evolution and structure of severe cyclonic Bora: contrast between the northern and southern Adriatic. Weather and Forecasting. 24 (2009) , 4; 946-964

Horvath, K., Bajić, A. i S. Ivatek-Šahdan. Dynamical downscaling of wind resources in complex terrain of Croatia, Proceedings of the EWEC 2009., Marseille, Francuska, svibanj, 2009.

Bajić, A.; Ivatek-Šahdan, S.; Horvath, K.Prostorna razdioba brzine vjetra na području Hrvatske dobivena numeričkim modelom atmosfere ALADIN. Hrvatski meteorološki časopis.42 (2009), 66-77.

Grbec Branka, Morović Mira, Matić Frano, Vilibić Ivica, Beg Paklar Gordana. Unusual preconditioning vs. generation phase of the North Adriatic Dense Water in 2007/2008. CIESM; 2010.

Gordana Beg Paklar, Ivica Janeković, Mathieu Dutour Sikirić, Ivica Vilibić, Vlado Dadić and Branka Grbec. Circulation variability in the Adriatic Sea and in small coastal domains along the eastern Adriatic coast during 2007 and 2008. CIESM, 2010.

Thermohaline structure at the profile Vis - Monte Gargano.

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Laboratory of Chemical Oceanography and Sedimentology

Head of the Laboratory:Grozdan Kušpilić, Ph.D., Research scientist ([email protected]) – implementation of EU Water Framework Directive for the Transitional and Coastal Waters of the Adriatic Sea; marine pollution, chemical oceanography, biogeochemical cycles of nutrients in the water column and sediment

Staff:Danijela Bogner, Ph.D., Research associate ([email protected]) – marine geology, granulometric composition, carbonates, organic matter, heavy metals and foraminifera in marine sedimentSlavica Matijević, Ph.D., Research associate ([email protected]) – chemical oceanography; biogeochemical cycles of nutrients in the water column and sediments; phosphorus speciation in marine sedimentVesna Milun, M.Sc., Associate ([email protected]) – organic pollutants in marine sediment and biotaIvan Pezo, B.Sc., Associate ([email protected])Jere Veža, B.Sc., Associate ([email protected])

Overview of the Laboratory’s activities: Research of Laboratory of Chemical Oceanography and Sedimentology includes biogeochemical processes and cycles of different elements in the water column, organisms and sediments of the Adriatic Sea. Field investigations are conducted in the areas of different trophic status (river mouths, estuaries, bays, open sea and fish farms), with the aim of detecting potential changes, anthropogenically or climatologically forced.Measurements in the seawater samples, besides the basic chemical parameters, encompass determination of concentrations of dissolved inorganic and organic nutrients in order to study the flux of organic matter and energy through the marine ecosystem. The results are also used for estimation of trophic status of each area, as well as for the elaboration of national classes of categories of the ecological status. Sediment investigations (granulometric composition, oxido-reductive conditions, distribution of inorganic and organic forms of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus) are focused on processes of sedimentation and remineralizaton of organic matter in sediment, including the exchange at the sediment-water interface. Degree

of the contamination in marine environment related to heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants is monitored through their accumulation in sediments and marine organisms. In addition to scientific investigations, researchers of the laboratory are involved in creation of national indicators and implementation of EU Water Framework Directive of transitional, coastal and open sea waters of the Republic of Croatia, as well as in the educational activities at the University of Split.

Top activities:Beside the engagement in listed projects financed by the Ministry of Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia, United Nations Monitoring Program and Croatian Waters, one of the most important activities of the Laboratory is the elaboration of program proposal and implementation of the monitoring of ecological and chemical status of transitional and coastal waters of the Adriatic Sea according to the requests of Frame Directive about the Waters (2000/60/EC). This issue is one of the prerequisites for closing the Chapter on Environment in pre-accession negotiations of the Republic of Croatia with the European Union.

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Projects:

Role of Plankton Communities in the Flow and Cycling of Energy and Matter in the AdriaticFinanced by: Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and SportsProject leader: Nada KrstulovićDetails under Laboratory of marine microbiology

Quality control of the Coastal Adriatic Sea (Pag- Konavle Project)Financed by: Water Protection Division, Croatian WatersProject leader: Grozdan Kušpilić

Program “Quality Control of the Coastal Sea (Pag-Konavle Project)” is conducted for the “Sector of the Water Protection of Croatian Waters” to evaluate quality of the Adriatic coastal sea from the Pag Island to Cavtat. Research purpose is to investigate possible changes caused by natural processes or anthropogenic activities through systematic monitoring of water quality. The analyses include the most important indicators of water quality: physical, chemical and biological properties of sea water, characteristic pollutants and climate characteristics of the area as well as dynamic of water masses. Special attention is given to possible changes in the composition of plankton communities caused by the influence of anthropogenic factors in waters near urbanized areas on the coast. Laboratory of Chemical Oceanography and Sedimentology is involved in determination and interpretation of spatial and temporal distribution of chemical indicators of trophic state of coastal waters (oxygen concentration , inorganic and organic forms of nutrients, pH). Furthermore, Laboratory’s staff is carrying out the research on pollution levels of dangerous substances in sediments and shellfish (heavy metals, chlorinated hydrocarbons) throughout the investigated area, from Pag to Konavle.

Classification of the Area and Making a Program Proposal and Implementation of Monitoring of Transitional and Coastal Waters of the Adriatic Sea, according to the Requirements of the Water Framework Directive of EU (2000/60/EC)Financed by: Croatian WatersProject leader: Grozdan Kušpilić

The project aims to develop the proposal of plan and program for monitoring of transitional and coastal waters according to Water Framework Directive. The acceptance of the program proposal is followed by the implementation of monitoring of transitional and coastal waters and establishment of national classification of “ecological status”. Two phases of Project are planned:(Phase I): Analysis of the pressures and impacts on the transitional and coastal waters based on the existing available data and expert estimation of the state of waters; the assessment of risk of losing the good status and development of proposals of plan and program of monitoring adapted to the requirements of WFD.(Phase II) Monitoring of chemical and ecological status of transitional and coastal waters; creation of proposal for national classification of “ecological status”; performing the first assessment of ecological and chemical status of transitional and coastal waters.


Laboratory is participating in topics 1.4., 1.5., 3.1. and 3.2. of the Project which include monitoring of the chemical parameters in the water column of the

P A G Z A D A R Š I B E N I K S P L I T P L O Č E DUBROVNIK VIS

Trophic status (TRIX-indeks)of the water column at Pag-Konavle stations

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central Adriatic (concentration of oxygen, inorganic and organic forms of nutrients, pH). Obtained data represent the basis for assessment of: trophic level of the areas under investigation; unusual occurrences in the water column and sediments; conditions that favor the appearances of blooms of harmful and toxic species of phytoplankton. An important activity of the Laboratory is determination of the degree of pollution with heavy metals and chlorinated hydrocarbons in sediment and shellfish in areas under anthropogenic influence, so-called “hot spots”.

Monitoring hazardous (harmful) substances accumulation in mussels (MYTIAD)Financed by:: IFREMER, France; UNEP/MED POL, GreeceProject leader: Grozdan Kušpilić

In the aim of enhancing the knowledge referred to the sources, fate and adverse effects of chemical contaminants in the Mediterranean sea, an interregional coastal water monitoring programme-MEDICIS was initiated by IFREMER in collaboration with UNEP/MED POL organization.Within the framework of this programme, the MYTIAD project’s objective was to assess the level of contamination by heavy metals, chlorinated hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons along the coasts of western and eastern Adriatic. The active monitoring method based on mussel caging was used to enable comparison among investigated areas. The immersion of caged mussels was carried out in 2008

in collaboration with the scientists from IFREMER and other research institutions from Italy, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania. The project ended in 2009 providing an important contribution to the knowledge with regards to the contamination status by priority substances at the Adriatic coastal area.


Matijević, Slavica; Bojanić, Natalia; Kušpilić, Grozdan; Ninčević Gladan, Živana. 2009. Seasonal variations of phosphorus species in sediment from the middle Adriatic Sea. Environmental Earth Sciences. 59 (4):853-866.

Matijević, Slavica; Kušpilić, Grozdan; Morović, Mira; Grbec, Branka; Bogner, Danijela; Skejić, Sanda; Veža, Jere. 2009. Physical and chemical properties of the water column and sediments at the sea bass / sea bream farm in the middle Adriatic (Maslinova Bay) Acta Adriatica 50 (1): 59-76.

Ninčević Gladan, Živana; Marasović, Ivona; Grbec, Branka; Skejić, Sanda; Bužančić, Mia; Kušpilić, Grozdan; Matijević, Slavica; Matić, Frano. 2009. Inter-decadal variability in phytoplankton community in the Middle Adriatic (Kaštela Bay) in relation to the North Atlantic Oscillation. Estuaries and Coasts. 33 (2): 376-383.

Grbec, Branka; Morović, Mira; Kušpilić, Grozdan; Matijević, Slavica; Matić, Frano; Beg Paklar, Gordana; Ninčević, Živana. 2009. The relationship between the atmospheric variability and productivity in the Adriatic Sea area. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. 89 (8): 1549-1558.

Šolić, Mladen; Krstulović, Nada; Vilibić, Ivica; Bojanić, Natalia; Kušpilić, Grozdan; Šestanović, Stefanija; Šantić, Danijela; Ordulj, Marin. 2009. Variability in the bottom-up and top-down controls of bacteria on trophic and temporal scales in the middle Adriatic Sea. Aquatic microbial ecology. 58 (1): 15-29.

Vidjak, Olja; Bojanić, Natalia; Kušpilić, Grozdan; Grbec, Branka; Ninčević Gladan, Živana; Matijević, Slavica; Brautović, Igor. 2009. Population structure and abundance of zooplankton along the Krka river estuary in spring 2006. Acta Adriatica. 50 (1): 45-58.

Determining the type of waters at catchment area of Neretva river

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Head of the Laboratory:Prof. Ivona Marasović, Ph.D., Senior research scientist, ([email protected]) - biology and taxonomy of phytoplankton, primary production, eutrophication, shellfish toxicity

Staff:Prof. Frano Kršinić, Ph.D., Senior research scientist, Fellow of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, ([email protected])- ecology and taxonomy of marine protozoa and micrometazoa, taxonomy of the anchialine caves zooplankton Živana Ninčević Gladan, Ph.D., Research scientist, ([email protected])- biology and taxonomy of phytoplankton, cyanobacteria, primary production, eutrophication, shellfish toxicityIvana Ujević, Ph.D., Research associate ([email protected]) - natural toxins in molluscs (ASP, PSP i DSP), shellfish toxicology, biological and chemical methods of toxin analyses in molluscs (UV-DAD-HPLC, FD-HPLC, LC-MS/MS), trace metals (AAS) in sediment and molluscNatalia Bojanić, Ph.D., Research associate ([email protected]) - ecology and taxonomy of microzooplanktonOlja Vidjak, Ph.D., Research associate ([email protected]) - ecology and taxonomy of mesozooplankton, mesozooplankton sampling methods, taxonomy of copepod crustaceansSanda Skejić, Ph.D., Senior assistant ([email protected]) - biology and taxonomy of phytoplankton, primary production, eutrophicationJasna Arapov, B.Sc, Assistant ([email protected]) - analyses of phycotoxins in phytoplankton and shellfish, ecology of toxic phytoplankton Mia Bužančić, B.Sc., Assistant ([email protected])- biology and taxonomy of phytoplankton, primary production, eutrophicationNikša Nazlić, B.Sc., Associate ([email protected])Heliodor Prelesnik, B.Sc., Associate ([email protected])Ivan Barač, B.Sc., AssociateRoman Garber, B.Sc., AssociateAna Jelačić, B.Sc.Maja Žitko, B.Sc.

Laboratory of Plankton and Shellfish Toxicity

Overview of the Laboratory’s activities:Activities within the Laboratory encompass the ecological and taxonomical research of phyto- and zooplankton, as well as the investigations of the primary production process. Taxonomical research is directed towards microzoo-, mesozoo- and microphytoplankton, while the ecological research focuses on the investigations of fluctuations of phytoplankton and zooplankton dynamics caused by the anthropogenic influences. These investigations are greatly facilitated by the existence of long-term data sets on phytoplankton and zooplankton population structure, chlorophyll a concentrations and primary production, available from the early days of the Institute’s activities, which today present the special value of the Institute and this particular Laboratory. The specialised and more recent activities of the Laboratory are linked to the basic investigations of toxic phytoplankton species, which gave rise to the applied investigations through regular monitoring of shellfish toxicity events along the Adriatic coast.

Top activities:Based on the publications of the Laboratory’s researchers and their participations in international intercalibrations in the field of phytoplankton toxicity and toxin analyses, in 2008 this Laboratory gained the ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation Certificate in the field of qualitative and quantitative determination of phytoplankton community structure in seawater and determination of phycotoxins in shellfish. Consequently, as the only possessor of this Accreditation in Croatia, the Laboratory is currently in the process of nomination for the National Reference Laboratory for Shellfish Toxicity.

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Projects:

Ecological investigations of toxic phytoplankton and shellfish toxicity Financed by: Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and SportsProject leader: Živana Ninčević Gladan

Since shellfish toxicity is increasingly reported in Croatian farms, it is imperative that we conduct regular reliable scientific investigations on this subject, thus participating in the international cooperation with the research results at national level. This project combines biological and chemical research on shellfish toxicity, and investigations of the life cycles of some toxic phytoplankton species and their ecological characteristics. At the same time, toxicity level fluctuation in shellfish is investigated in relation to various biotic and abiotic factors. The aim is to determine the key mechanisms that are responsible for the development of blooms of certain species in particular moments, especially for those species that belong to the same ecological niche. Improved understanding of the ecological strategies of some toxic species increases the possibility of prediction of such phenomena and the application of measures to mitigate the adverse consequences.

MED POL Financed by: UNEP - United nations Environmental ProgramProject leader: Živana Ninčević Gladan

The task of protecting and monitoring of the marine environment in the Mediterranean inspired the cooperation between Mediterranean countries and the European Union, through the approval of the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP), which is part of the United Nations Convention on the Protection of the Environment (United Nation Environmental Program, UNEP). The program of assessment and control of pollution in the Mediterranean area began in 1975, as a part of the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP), which is now in phase IV (2006-2013). In accordance with the Barcelona Convention (Article 12), all Member States are under the obligation to implement a national monitoring program and appoint the persons responsible for pollution monitoring. Land-Based Source Protocol (Article 8) defines a systematic assessment of pollution in coastal areas, with special emphasis on the areas affected by various human activities, and assessment of the effectiveness of the action plan and measures contained in the Protocol on the reduction of pollution impact in the marine environment as the main objectives of this monitoring program.

Role of plankton communities in the energy and matter flow in the Adriatic Sea Financed by: Croatian Ministry of Science, Education ans Sports)Project leader: Nada Krstulović Details under Laboratory of marine microbiology

Quality control of the Coastal Adriatic Sea (Pag- Konavle Project)Financed by: Water Protection Division, Croatian Waters Project leader: Grozdan KušpilićDetails under Laboratory of chemical oceanography and sedimentology

Comparison of the total mesozooplankton abundances at monitoring stations within the Pag-Konavle project during 2009.

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Development and implementation of a pan-European Marine Biodiversity Observatory System (EMBOS)Financed by: COST (European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research) Project leader: Herman Hummel (Netherlands Institute of Ecology); Natalia Bojanić, National coordinator (IOF Split)

Marine biodiversity varies over large scales of time and space, and requires a research strategy beyond the tradition/capabilities of classic research. Research that covers these scales requires a permanent international pan-European network of observation stations with an optimized and standardized methodology. In EMBOS the needed large-scale network of research locations in Europe will be installed to assess long-term changes in marine biodiversity and their possible causes taking into account natural and anthropogenic gradients, and EMBOS will extend and optimize this observatory system, including novel interdisciplinary approaches for research.Laboratory of plankton is contributing to EMBOS through the fundamental taxonomical research of microphytoplankton, ciliated protozoa, micrometazoa and mesozooplankton components, as well as with investigations regarding the impact of trophic gradient on changes in plankton community dynamics and structure. Additional efforts will be dedicated to the occurrence of toxic phytoplankton species and dynamics of tintinnid and copepod communities.

SESAME - Southern European Seas: Assessing and Modeling Ecosystem changesFinanced by: EU FP6National coordinator: Ivona Marasović The general scientific objectives of SESAME are to assess and predict changes in the Mediterranean and Black Sea ecosystems as well as changes in the ability of these ecosystems to provide goods and services. The Mediterranean and Black Sea will be approached as a coupled climatic/ecosystem entity, with links and feedbacks to the world ocean. The assessment of ecosystem changes will be based on the identification of the major regime shifts in ecosystems that occurred during the last 50 years.Mathematical models, validated and upgraded using existing and new observations, will be used to predict

ecosystem responses to changes in climate and anthropogenic forcings during the next five decades. SESAME will also study the effect of the ecosystem variability on key goods and services with high societal importance like tourism, fisheries, ecosystem stability through conservation of biodiversity and mitigation of climate change through carbon sequestration in water and sediments. The innovative character of SESAME is reflected in the close merging of economic and natural sciences to study the changes in the western and eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea within the period from 50 years in the past to 50 years in the future. SESAME will stimulate and strengthen international cooperation in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions through the participation of research organizations from Member States, Associated States, Associated Candidate countries, non-EU Mediterranean and NIS countries as

well as international organizations.The scientific objectives of SESAME are:- To assess changes in the SES ecosystems over the last 50 years.- To assess the current status of the SES ecosystems through analysis of existing and newly collected data at basin scale as well as through model simulations.- To predict changes in the SES ecosystems, using existing and new observations at a regional and basin scale in order to construct scenarios of the ecosystem responses to likely changes in climate and anthropogenic forcings during the next five decades.


In this project Laboratory’s experts are participating in two topics : - Impact of anthropogenic activities on the Croatian coastal sea (pollutant loads from land-based sources (LBS) and through air; sanitary quality of beaches, sanitary quality of shellfish culturing areas, effects of the excessive eutrophication, the level and the influence

Regime shifts in long term data of primary production in the Middle Adriatic

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of pollution in selected areas (hot spots) and the mutual impact of fish aquaculture and environment.- Unusual phenomena threatening human health, tourism and fisheries (natural phenomena of unusual intensity, harmful algal blooms and jellyfish “blooms”, identification of toxic phytoplankton species and biotoxins analyses (PSP, DSP,YTX, ASP groups of toxins) and introduction and excessive reproduction of allochthonous plankton species.


Ninčević Gladan, Živana; Marasović, Ivona; Grbec, Branka; Skejić, Sanda; Bužančić, Mia; Kušpilić, Grozdan; Matijević, Slavica; Matić, Frano. Inter-decadal variability in phytoplankton community in the Middle Adriatic (Kaštela Bay) in relation to the North Atlantic Oscillation. Estuaries and coasts. 33 (2009), 2; 376-383.Živana Ninčević Gladan, Ivana Ujević, Anna Milandri, Ivona Marasović, Alfiero Ceredi, Silvia Pigozzi, Jasna Arapov, Sanda Skejić, Stjepan Orhanović and Igor Isajlović. Is Yessotoxin the Main Phycotoxin in Croatian Waters? Marine drugs. 8 (2010), 3; 460-470.

Čustović, Selma; Orhanović, Stjepan; Ninčević-Gladan, Živana; Josipović, Tilda; Pavela-Vrančič, Maja. Occurence of yessotoxin (YTX) in the coastal waters of the eastern-mid Adriatic Sea (Croatia). Fresenius Environmental Bulletin. 18 (2009), 8; 1452-1455.

Grbec, Branka; Morović, Mira; Kušpilić, Grozdan; Matijević, Slavica; Matić, Frano; Beg Paklar, Gordana; Ninčević, Živana. The relationship between the atmospheric variability and productivity in the Adriatic Sea area. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. 89 (2009), 8; 1549-1558.

Matijević, Slavica; Bojanić, Natalia; Kušpilić, Grozdan; Ninčević Gladan, Živana. Seasonal variations of phosphorus species in sediment from the middle Adriatic Sea. Environmental Earth Sciences. 59 (2009), 4; 853-866.

Šolić, Mladen; Krstulović, Nada; Vilibić, Ivica; Bojanić, Natalia; Kušpilić, Grozdan; Šestanović, Stefanija; Šantić, Danijela; Ordulj, Marin. Variability in the bottom-up and top-down controls of bacteria on trophic and temporal scales in the middle Adriatic Sea. Aquatic microbial ecology. 58 (2009), 1; 15-29.

Vidjak, Olja; Bojanić, Natalia. Species composition and distribution patterns of the family Corycaeidae Dana, 1852 (Copepoda ; Cyclopoida) in the middle Adriatic Sea. Marine Biology Research. 5 (2009), 5; 427-440.

Vidjak, Olja; Bojanić, Natalia; Kušpilić, Grozdan; Grbec, Branka; Ninčević Gladan, Živana; Matijević, Slavica; Brautović, Igor. Population structure and abundance of zooplankton along the Krka river estuary in spring 2006. Acta Adriatica. 50 (2009), 1; 45-58.

Dinophysis species recorded at shellfish farms at Istrian area: 1. D. fortii 2. D. tripos 3. D. acuminata 4. D. acuta 5. D. rotundata 6. D. sacculus 7. D. caudata

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Head of the Laboratory:Prof. Nada Krstulović, Ph.D., Senior research scientist ([email protected]) - ecology of marine microorganisms, pelagic microbial trophic chain, sanitary aspects of marine microbiology

Staff:Prof Mladen Šolić, Ph. D., Senior research scientist ([email protected]) - ecology of marine microorganisms, pelagic microbial trophic chain, sanitary aspects of marine microbiologyStefanija Šestanović, Ph.D., Research Associate ([email protected]) – bacterial biomass and production in marine sediments, trophic relationships in microbial communities of marine sedimentsDanijela Šantić, B. Sc., Assistant ([email protected]) – trophic and size structure of marine microbial communitiesSlaven Jozić, B. Sc. – Associate ([email protected])Mate Pavlović, technician

Overview of the Laboratory’s activities:Work of the Laboratory of Microbiology includes research of ecology of marine microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, cyanobacteria, heterotrophic nanoplankton), as well as research of allochthonous microorganisms which from different sources enter the marine environment.Field of marine microorganisms ecology includes research of microbial community structure (composition, number, biomass, production and activity), and the role of microbial trophic web in the flow of matter and energy through the pelagic ecosystem. Given the importance of bacteria in biogeochemical processes in the sea, research of numbers and biomass of bacteria have recently been carried out in the sediment as well.As part of the allochthonous microorganisms research, the presence of fecal pollution indicators in sea water and organisms (especially shellfish) and occasionally, of some groups of patogenic microorganisms as well, is being monitored,. The results of these studies are essential for assessing the sanitary quality of water and marine organisms and potential risks to human health. Research of microorganism survival in the marine environment, and the rate of their concentration in shellfish in different enviromental conditions, is also being carried out. Within this issue, Laboratory of Microbiology organizes national and international

Laboratory of Marine Microbiology workshops related to the introduction of new methods and training in their implementation.Laboratory of Microbiology is the authorized research laboratory for testing and evaluation of water quality, according to the resolution of the Ministry of Regional Development, Forestry and Water Economy of the Republic of Croatia, the Board of Water Management (Class: UP/Io-034-04/08-01/16; URBROJ: 538-10/1-4-64-08/6; of 10th of December

Projects:

Role of plankton communities in the energy and matter flow in the Adriatic SeaFinanced by: Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and SportsProject leader: Nada Krstulović

The project investigates the role of plankton communities in the energy flow and organic matter cycling in the coastal and open Adriatic Sea, with particular reference to the spawning areas of small pelagic fish , mariculture areas and other areas under significant antropogenic influences. Special attention will be devoted to the Palagruža Sill area, since it is of key importance for the functioning of the Adriatic ecosystem, where waters originating from the continental shelf encounter those from deep layers and therefore all the processes are best observed.

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Plankton communities, including bacterioplankton, phytoplankton and zooplankton, represent the fundamental component of pelagic food webs Therefore the study of the structure and functioning of each of them, as well as their interactions, is highly important, especially since such data provide the basis for establishing the production capacity of an area. One of the central questions regarding functioning of marine ecosystems is the fate of primary production, namely significance of different pathways of carbon, from its fixation in the photosynthesis to higher trophic levels. Relationship between primary and secondary production, biomass and species composition of different plankton components at lower trophic levels determine the main characteristics of trophic web at higher levels. These interactions will be studied by analysing factors regulating the size and dynamics of populations in plankton communities. The project will investigate the cycling of nutrients and metals essential for the normal susteinance, growth and reproduction of plankton populations («bottom-up» control) as well as factors affecting their elimination (mortality, predation, viral activity) («top-down» control). By studying «bottom-up» and «top-down» controls of plankton communities we will attempt to determine main mechanisms and control paths of characteristic phytoplankton blooms as well as likely causes of the unusual occurrences («red tide», «mucilage»).

Special attention will be given to the analysis of response of plankton organisms to physical changes, on both, short and long term time scales, that is to the ways in which these changes are reflected upon the different levels of food chains and consequently the energy flow and cycling of matter.

Residence time of bacteria Escherichia coli in seawater and marine organisms Financed by: Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and SportsProject leader: Mladen Šolić

Faecal origin wastewaters that enter into the sea directly or through sewage system discharge are one of the main sources of allochthonous microorganisms in marine environment. Some of these microorganisms are pathogenic, and as such can cause different infections and diseases in humans and warm-blooded animals. Allochthonous microorganisms can be accumulated in different marine organisms, especially in those that feed by filtration of sea water (filter-feeders). One of the most important groups of filter-feeders in marine environment is Bivalvia. Since bivalves can accumulate all types of pollutants present in sea water including pathogenic bacteria, they are, from the aspect of human health, a high-risk group of organisms. Proposed investigation is designed to test the following two hypothesis: (1) Residence time of allochthonous microorganisms in marine environment is a direct function of their survival after they enter the sea, which is in turn result of synergic impact of number of environmental factors out of which the most important are sunlight intensity, temperature and salinity, and (2) Concentration of allochthonous microorganisms in bivalves is a result of concentration of these organisms in the surrounding sea, seawater filtration rates, habitat in which they live, bivalve species, size, and life cycle, as well as synergic impact of number of environmental factors out of which the most important is temperature. Main objective of this project is providing answers to the following questions: (1) How long is the survival time of bacteria Escherichia coli, as the most important indicator of faecal pollution, in marine environment in conditions of different sunlight

Fluorescence microscopy.

Fluorescence photomicrographs of bacteria using the standard AODC (A) and DAPI (B) epifluorescent techniques

(samples from Kastela Bay)

A B

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intensities, temperature and salinity, (2) Is there a synergic action of investigated factors, (3) In which way survival time of bacteria E. coli changes with sea depth, (4) At which rate different bivalve species accumulate bacteria E. coli, and (5) In which way concentrations of E. coli in the sea, bivalve size, phase of the life cycle and temperature impact the above mentioned processes. Testing of the hypothesis and searching for solution to the above questions will be conducted using series of in situ and laboratory experiments. We expect that results of this project will be very important for estimating impacts of sewage discharges and other sources of faecal pollution on sanitary quality of the sea, and will represent valuable entrance parameter for calculations related to design of underwater discharge systems. Further on, determination of factors that influence rate of concentration of marine microorganisms in bivalves will significantly improve technology of bivalve aquaculture.

Experiment of survival of faecal pollution indicators in seawater

Interactive effects of temperature, salinity and Escherichia coli concentration in the seawater on the rate of concentration of E. coli in bivalves.

National intercalibration exercise and consultation meeting on microbiological methods for bathing water quality according new regulations.

Analyses of regulation of marine bacteria by substrate availabil-ity (Bottom-up control) and by predation (Top-down control) using empirical model by Gasol et al. (2002)

Monitoring of the environmental impact of the submarine outfall StobrečFinanced by: Water and Sewage Company of SplitProject leader: Nada Krstulović

The purpose of this research is to gain insight into the state of sea water quality in the area of the Brač Channel near the submarine outfall, in order to monitor and assess the possible influence of the submarine outfall sewage system Stobreč on the environment. Investigations include the most important indicators of the water quality: physical properties of the atmosphere and sea, chemical properties and biological characteristics of the investigated area, marine sediment and characteristic pollutants.

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Scientists of the Laboratory for Microbiology are included in the subprojects „Impact of anthropogenic activities on the coastal sea (leader of subproject: Nada Krstulović) and “Unusual phenomena threatening human health, tourism and fisheries”.


Šolić, Mladen; Krstulović, Nada; Kušpilić, Grozdan; Ninčević Gladan, Živana; Bojanić, Natalia; Šestanović, Stefanija; Šantić, Danijela; Ordulj, Marin. 2010. Changes in microbial food web structure in response to changed environmental trophic status: a case study of the Vranjic Basin (Adriatic Sea). Marine Environmental Research. 70: 239-249.

Šolić, Mladen; Jozić, Slaven; Krstulović, Nada. 2010. Interactive effects of temperature and salinity on the rate of concentration of Escherichia coli in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and oysters (Ostrea edulis). Fresenius Environmental Bulletin. 19: 1634-1639.

Šestanović, Stefanija; Šolić, Mladen; Krstulović, Nada. 2009. The influence of organic matter and phytoplankton pigments on the distribution of bacteria in sediments of Kaštela Bay (Adriatic Sea). Sciencia Marina. 73: 83-94.

Šolić, Mladen; Krstulović, Nada; Vilibić, Ivica; Bojanić, Natalia; Kušpilić, Grozdan; Šestanović, Stefanija; Šantić, Danijela; Ordulj, Marin. 2009. Variability in the bottom-up and top-down control of bacteria on trophic and temporal scale in the middle Adriatic Sea. Aquatic Microbial Ecology. 58: 15-29.

Mladineo, Ivona; Trumbić, Željka; Jozić, Slaven; Šegvić, Tanja. 2009. First report of Cryptosporidium sp. (Coccidia, Apicomplexa) oocysts in the black mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) reared in the Mali Ston Bay, Adriatic Sea. Journal of Shellfish Research. 28: 541-546.

Šolić, Mladen. 2009. Ljepota različitosti – ekološki uzroci biološke raznolikosti na Zemlji. Izvori, Zagreb, 288 str.

Radić, Tomislav; Šilović, Tina; Šantić, Danijela; Fuks, Dragica; Mičić, Milena. 2009. Preliminary flow cytometric analyses of phototrophic pico- and nanoplankton communities in the northern Adriatic. Fresenius Environmental Bulletin. 18: 715-724.

Šolić, Mladen; Krstulović, Nada; Bojanić, Natalia; Šestanović, Stefanija; Šantić, Danijela; Ordulj, Marin. 2009. Seasonal variability in the bottom-up and top-down control of bacteria in the middle Adriatic Sea. 33d Congress of European Mirobiologists (FEMS 2009). Gothenburg, Sweden. 28.6.-2.7., 2009. Abstract No 351.

Krstulović, Nada; Šolić, Mladen; Bojanić, Natalia. 2009. The role of ciliate size structure in controlling bacterial and heterotrophic nanoflagellate abundances in the middle Adriatic Sea. 3rd Congress of European Microbiologists (FEMS 2009). Gothenburg, Sweden. 28.6.-2.7., 2009. Abstract No 494.

Šantić, Danijela; Kušpilić, Grozdan; Krstulović, Nada; Šolić, Mladen. 2009. Seasonal dynamic of the picoplankton in thr Jabuka Pit (central Adriatic Sea). 11th Symposium on Aquatic Microbial Ecology (SAME-11). Piran, Slovenia. 30. August – 04. September, 2009. p. 146.

Šestanović, Stefanija; Šantić, Danijela. 2009. Structure of microbial community in respect to hypoxia in meromictic lake. 11th Symposium on Aquatic Microbial Ecology (SAME-11). Piran, Slovenia. 30. August – 04. September, 2009. p. 147.

Ordulj, Marin; Krstulović, Nada; Šantić, Danijela. 2009. Abundance and production of viruses and their relationship with bacteria in the middle Adriatic. 11th Symposium on Aquatic Microbial Ecology (SAME-11). Piran, Slovenia. 30. August – 04. September, 2009. p. 219.

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Head of the Laboratory:Boris Antolić, Ph.D., Research scientist ([email protected]) – Phytobenthos, taxonomy, phytocenology

Staff:Ivana Grubelić, Ph.D., Research associate ([email protected]) - Zoobenhtos, taxonomy, biology, ecology, biocenologyAnte Žuljević, Ph.D., Research associate ([email protected]) - Phytobenthos, invasive species, Natura 2000, educationMarija Despalatović, Ph.D., Research associate ([email protected]) - Zoobenthos, taxonomy, biology, ekology, biocenologyIvan Cvitković, M.Sc.., Senior assistant ([email protected]) - Zoobenthos, taxonomy, biology, ekology, biocenology, meiofaunaVedran Nikolić, B.Sc., Assistant ([email protected]) – Macroalgae, sea grasses, taxonomy, ecology, EU Water Framework Directive

Overview of the Laboratory’s activities:

Laboratory for Benthos investigates composition and distribution of benthic flora and fauna, vegetation and benthic communities along the eastern Adriatic coast. The research is based on field sampling (SCUBA divers, drag, bottom trawl, grab, corer) and processing of collected samples in the laboratory (microscopic analysis, chemical and molecular-genetic analysis). Photography and videorecording with underwater camera of characteristic organisms and communities on the investigated areas are among the basic methods for documentation. Researchers from the Laboratory are also involved in applied investigations conducted by the Institute, such as monitoring and ecological studies with the aim to determine possible changes in composition and distribution of benthos, that are the results of natural and anthropogenic impact.

Laboratory for Benthos

Within the project of implementation of European Water Framework Directive in Croatia, researchers from the Laboratory intensively tested the bioindicator methods that use phytobenthos as indicator of the coastal water quality in the middle and south Adriatic Sea. Study on appearance, spreading and impact of alochthonous and invasive algae (Caulerpa taxifolia, Caulerpa racemosa, Womersleyella setacea, etc.) and invertebrates (Ficopomatus enigmaticus, Siphonaria pectinata, etc.) on biological, ecological and landscape biodiversity along the eastern Adriatic coast is continued. Collaboration with the majority of laboratories for benthos in the area of the Mediterranean Sea and wider is established through several international projects in which our laboratory actively participates. Public is informed about our research by electronic media and press, several booklets and posters, and through Internet sites about Caulerpa species (http://jadran.izor.hr/kaulerpa/). Additionally, researchers from the Laboratory are involved in the production of educational and documentary films that are awarded on international festivals, biological guidebooks for protected areas, and the Red Book of benthic algae of the Adriatic Sea is in preparation.

http://jadran.izor.hr/kaulerpa/http://jadran.izor.hr/kaulerpa/

Top activities:

The Laboratory has organized an international symposium on marine seagrass, Mediterranean Seagrass Workshop – 2009, held in Hvar in September 2009. It was an opportunity for scientists from almost all Mediterranean countries to exchange the information on current research in biology, ecology and conservation of marine seagrass.

In the beginning of 2010, in cooperation with Blue World organization, the Laboratory published an 50 min documentary film: “Open Sea”. This film describes the oceanographic processes and organisms that live in Adriatic open sea during spring. The film was presented on underwater film festivals in Belgrade and Marseille where it was awarded.

Projects:

Biodiversity of benthos in the middle Adriatic SeaFinanced by: Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and SportsProject leader: Boris Antolić

Composition and distribution of endemic species, geo-morphological and climatic characteristics make the Middle Adriatic one of 10 biogeographic areas of the Mediterranean. Middle Adriatic is divided in coastal, island and open areas with classification of transitional, coastal, channel and open waters that result in diversity of benthic species and their communities. Littoralisation of the coast, over fishing and aquaculture are the main reasons of decreased biological diversity. Changes which occur in the Adriatic benthos and coastal water quality should be measured by universal metric methods developed for the whole Mediterranean (WFD). Particularly important areas and species should be protected (Natura 2000, CroNEN) and public needs to be educated in this matter. Here are the hypotheses of the project: 1) Biodiversity of Middle Adriatic benthos is increasing from coast towards open seas; 2) Human impact, non indigenous and invasive species lead towards measurable changes of benthos in the Middle Adriatic; 3) Methods of water quality evaluation of coastal waters developed for Mediterranean Sea (WFD) are applicable for Middle Adriatic; 4) Education of public and global availability and application of scientific data help to preserve the benthos in the Adriatic Sea. Expected results are the following: creation of algae check list from taxa Rhodophyta and Phaeophyta in the Middle Adriatic and creation of check list of Porifera

Participants of MSW09 symposium. DVD Cover of the documentary film “Open Sea”.

from Croatian part of the Adriatic; standardization of coastal water quality assesment methods (WFD); a new contribution to the knowledge of the marine and brackish seagrasses; analysis of overgrow fauna on rhizome and leafs of seagrass P. oceanica and composition of macro algae in the upper infralittoral layer on investigated transect coast-open sea in the Middle Adriatic; taxonomic revision of some algae taxa; human impact, non indigenous and invasive species impact on benthic communities and species; development of control methods for invasive species (genus Caulerpa); completition of herbarium collection Ercegović/Špan; preparation of red list and book of the marine flora; education of public through brochures and internet. Results of suggested research will be the base for further fundamental scientific research and will have important role in education and nature protection (red book, marine flora database, internet presentations on invasive species, legislative regulations, etc.).

Settlement of rare and protected seagrass Zostera marina found in spring 2010.

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Natura 2000Financed by: State Institute for Nature ProtectionProject leader: Ante Žuljević

Natura 2000 was realized in 2009 and 2010. In 2009 we made a Natura 2000 habitat base including 50 spot locations for which the Laboratory have had historical data on habitat types, protected and invasive species. During 2010, we completed the additional Natura 2000 project for habitat cartography at southern side of Island of Hvar. This area was chosen due to our preliminary results showing that in this area an extensive Posidonia oceanica meadow is developed. Prosidonia oceanica habitat is protected on EU protection level.

Brown algal biodiversity and ecology in the Eastern Mediterranean SeaFinanced by: TOTAL Foundation Project leader: Prof. Christos Katsaros

A 4-year international project “Brown algal biodiversity and ecology in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea” is funded with € 300,000 by TOTAL Foundation. It aims to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the Eastern Mediterranean seaweed biodiversity and its role in the functioning of the marine ecosystem. The project is a multinational effort – even though it is centered in Greece, it has major contributions by scientists from Croatia (IOF-Split), Cyprus, Turkey, Israel, California, France, Germany, Japan and Scotland. Key objectives include pioneering studies of the largely unexplored Eastern Mediterranean’s deep-water flora, with the aid of submersible and ROVs and molecular-genetic research with the aim to resolve uncertain taxonomic classification of some species. This project will be a great opportunity to focus on the effects of climate change, pollution and invasive species on the Mediterranean Ecosystem. During the spring 2010 deepwater algal communites in the central Adriatic were surveyed with the use of R/V BIOS DVA and fully equipped ROV Pollux II in cooperation with Italian scientists from ISPRA institute. A very rare deepwater alga Laminaria rodriguezii was recorded near Palagruža island.

Deepwater alga Laminaria rodriguezii recorded near Palagruža island using ROV Pollux II.

Caulerpa – the invasive Caulerpa species in SPAFinanced by: Croatian Ministry of CultureProject leader: Ante Žuljević

The project started in 2005 and was financially supported on annual level by Ministry of Culture. The aim of the project is monitoring, education and research on eradication methods of invasive Caulerpa species. The activities are basically focused on SPA areas. The majority of the results are presented on web page jadran.izor.hr/kaulerpa (in croatian).During 2009 and 2010, the alga Caulerpa racemosa has been eradicated in National Park Mljet in the area of Great Lake. It was estimated that the algae should be controlled in this area due to unique biological features of the Lakes.

Fragment of mapped area during project Natura 2000 on south side of Island of Hvar.

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The web page was updated with new distribution map. For the SPA area we made a new educational poster on Caulerpa species.

Monitoring of coastal water quality (Project Pag-Konavle)Financed by: Croatian WatersProject leader: Grozdan Kušpilić

Details under Laboratory of chemical oceanography and sedimentology Within this Project, Laboratory for benthos performs monitoring of coastal water quality with the use of macroalgae as bioindicators. An EU Water Framework Directive compliant index (Ecological Evaluation Index - EEI) is calculated on eight stations in the vicinity of large coastal cities. The result of this research is the annual estimate of water quality classified into one of five ecological classes (from bad to high), which is based on seasonal sampling of macroalgal shallow water communities.

Characterization of the area, drafting of monitoring program and execution of monitoring of water quality in transitional and coastal waters in the Adriatic Sea, according to the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)Financed by: Croatian Waters Project leader: Grozdan Kušpilić

Details under Laboratory of chemical oceanography and sedimentology Laboratory for benthos carries out testing and adaptation of methods and indices for water quality assessment using macroagae and seagrasses. Under the scope of this project we tested indices EEI (Ecological Evaluation Index) and CARLIT for macroalgae, and POMI (Posidonia oceanica Mulitvariate Index) for seagrasses. Tested methods are implemented for the first time in the Adriatic Sea, they are Water Framework Directive compliant and based on extensive scientific research. We are also testing seagrass based methods for the use in Croatian transitional waters.

Internet site on invasive Caulerpa species.

SOLEMON (Solea monitoring) projectFinanced by: FAO ADRIAMEDProject leader: Nedo Vrgoč, national coordinator

SOLEMON project started in 2005 within FAO AdriaMed project, with the aim to achieve a common management of the Adriatic fishery resources, and the coordinator of the project is the Institute of Marine Research (ISMAR) of Ancona. The aim of the project is to estimate the abundance of the species Solea solea and the other commercial benthic species in the area of the northern and middle Adriatic Sea using beam trawl, which is an efficient gear for catching benthic species. Therefore, beam trawl surveys can give more realistic data on abundance of target species in comparison to other investigations carried out in that area, but using different gears. The research is conducted on 62 stations, from Trieste to Gargano and from the Italian coast to Croatian territorial waters, on a total surface of 42400 km2.


In this project Laboratory’s experts are participating in topic “Unusual phenomena” where they caring out monitoring of spread and impact of not native benthic species, looking for possible eradication methods and perform public education campaign on problem of alien species. Two green algae Caulerpa racemosa and Caulerpa racemosa were in the focus of the research. At the end of 2010, Caulerpa taxifolia is present only in Stari Grad Bay while C. racemosa is present on almost 100 locations.Apart these two species, there are about 10 more benthic algae and invertebrates which are thought to be invasive like serpulid polychaete Ficopomatus enigmaticus which has been observed in estuary of rivers Zrmanja, Krka, Neretva and Mirna.

Field work during CARLIT index verification.

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Despalatović, M., I. Grubelić, C. Piccinetti, I. Cvitković, B. Antolić, A. Žuljević, V. Nikolić. 2009. Distribution of echinoderms on continental shelf in open waters of the northern and middle Adriatic Sea. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K., 89 (3): 585-591.

Antolić, B., A. Špan, A. Žuljević, V. Nikolić, I. Grubelić, M. Despalatović, I. Cvitković. 2010. A checklist of the benthic marine macroalgae from the eastern Adriatic coast: II. Heterokontophyta:Phaeophyceae.Acta Adriat., 51(1):9-33.

Despalatović, M., I. Grubelić, C. Piccinetti, I. Cvitković, B. Antolić, V. Nikolić, A. Žuljević. 2010. Distribution and abundance of the sand star Astropecten irregularis (Pennant, 1777) (Echinodermata, Asteroidea) on the continental shelf

Documents

INSTITUTE OF OCEANOGRAPHY AND FISHERIES Annual …Project“(“Projekt Jadran”), the surveillance measuring system of oceanographic buoys was developed. At the same time, in order