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Capitolo

Ecological zonation and abiotic variability in an enclosed nature park: the case of the salini saltworks in malta

  • Martina Busuttil
  • Robin Caruana Montaldo
  • Lena Ehmcke
  • Elise Bartl
  • Francesco Giacalone
  • Alessandro Giuffrida
  • Sarina Hilke
  • Giulia Lembo
  • Andrea Li Vorsi
  • Shona Murphy
  • Elia Ponte
  • Natalia Szklarczyk
  • Katya Debono
  • Belinda Gambin
  • Sandro Lanfranco

The Salini saltern complex (SSC), was a natural wetland that now functions as a nature park. The SSC is oriented along a NE to SW axis measuring 740 m by 140 m, with a surface area of 90000 m2. It comprises two reservoirs at the seaward extremity (each 12000 m2 in area) and 33 smaller pans in the inland portion, with surface areas ranging from 900 m2 to 2000 m2. This study addressed a knowledge gap by recording abiotic and ecological conditions across the SSC and relating them to the external marine conditions. The salina was visited monthly between 25 July 2022 and 5 July 2023. During each visit, the temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, nitrate and phosphate concentration of water were measured in the open sea, in the two reservoirs, and in 15 pans. The diversity of macroalgae, spermatophytes, and non-planktonic fauna was evaluated through direct observation, collection of specimens and photographic monitoring. Water quality changed in spatial and temporal dimensions within the SSC. The principal trend was a sharp gradient of abiotic conditions along the primary axis of the SSC from the seaward side to the landward side, suggesting changes in the characteristics of water during its movement from the open sea into the reservoirs and the pans. The species richness increased from the open sea to the reservoirs and decreased to much lower levels in the pans. The elevated species richness in the reservoirs is attributable to the higher stability relative to the sea and pans.

  • Keywords:
  • salinas,
  • Malta,
  • electrical conductivity,
  • species richness,
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Martina Busuttil

University of Malta, Malta - ORCID: 0009-0001-8230-3552

Robin Caruana Montaldo

University of Malta, Malta

Lena Ehmcke

University of Malta, Malta

Elise Bartl

University of Malta, Malta

Francesco Giacalone

University of Malta, Malta

Alessandro Giuffrida

University of Malta, Malta

Sarina Hilke

University of Malta, Malta

Giulia Lembo

University of Malta, Malta

Andrea Li Vorsi

University of Malta, Malta

Shona Murphy

University of Malta, Malta

Elia Ponte

University of Malta, Malta

Natalia Szklarczyk

University of Malta, Malta

Katya Debono

University of Malta, Malta - ORCID: 0009-0007-2389-478X

Belinda Gambin

University of Malta, Malta - ORCID: 0000-0001-5233-254X

Sandro Lanfranco

University of Malta, Malta - ORCID: 0000-0002-0360-7065

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  • Anno di pubblicazione: 2024
  • Pagine: 101-111

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  • Anno di pubblicazione: 2024

Informazioni sul capitolo

Titolo del capitolo

Ecological zonation and abiotic variability in an enclosed nature park: the case of the salini saltworks in malta

Autori

Martina Busuttil, Robin Caruana Montaldo, Lena Ehmcke, Elise Bartl, Francesco Giacalone, Alessandro Giuffrida, Sarina Hilke, Giulia Lembo, Andrea Li Vorsi, Shona Murphy, Elia Ponte, Natalia Szklarczyk, Katya Debono, Belinda Gambin, Sandro Lanfranco

Lingua

Italian

DOI

10.36253/979-12-215-0556-6.08

Opera sottoposta a peer review

Anno di pubblicazione

2024

Copyright

© 2024 Author(s)

Licenza d'uso

CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Licenza dei metadati

CC0 1.0

Informazioni bibliografiche

Titolo del libro

Tenth International Symposium "Monitoring of Mediterranean Coastal Areas: Problems and Measurement Techniques"

Sottotitolo del libro

Livorno (Italy) 11th-13th June 2024

Curatori

Laura Bonora, Marcantonio Catelani, Matteo De Vincenzi, Giorgio Matteucci

Opera sottoposta a peer review

Anno di pubblicazione

2024

Copyright

© 2024 Author(s)

Licenza d'uso

CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Licenza dei metadati

CC0 1.0

Editore

Firenze University Press

DOI

10.36253/979-12-215-0556-6

eISBN (pdf)

979-12-215-0556-6

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979-12-215-0557-3

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Monitoring of Mediterranean Coastal Areas: Problems and Measurement Techniques

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2975-0288

27

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