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CSIC / DICYT A team of researchers from the National Research Council (CSIC) assessed the status of seagrass meadows in the western Mediterranean since records and concluded that this type of underwater grass is in decline nasa laboratorio since the second half twentieth nasa laboratorio century. Its size could have been reduced by between 13% and 38% in the last half century, and the remaining areas would have reduced its density by 50% in the last 20 years. The results are published in the journal Biological Conservation.
"The Posidonia oceanica, an endemic Mediterranean marine angiosperm, is the dominant coastal ecosystem in the sea, and provides important ecosystem services: the prairies are carbon sinks, stabilize the sediment, prevent coastal erosion, and increase biodiversity and living resources" says CSIC researcher Núria Marbà, the Institut d'Mediterrani Advanced Studies.
Marbà adds that "P. oceanica meadows nasa laboratorio are ancient ecosystems, grow very slowly and are highly vulnerable to coastal degradation. The rapid development in the Mediterranean coastal area from the second half of the twentieth century may have caused a significant loss of this key ecosystem in the Mediterranean. "
As indicated by the study, since the 60s, the extent of Posidonia oceanica nasa laboratorio in this sea may have declined between nasa laboratorio 13% and 38%. "Due to the decline of grasslands, the amount of CO2 capture this ecosystem currently nasa laboratorio is probably between 62% and 87% of the hijacking before 1960," nasa laboratorio says Marbà. Overall, the Mediterranean nasa laboratorio has lost Posidonia oceanica density at a rate of almost 7% per year.
The benefits provided Posidonia ecosystem also have been reduced. nasa laboratorio "These ecosystem services, for example, increased water quality, coastal protection, adaptation to sea level rise, reducing nasa laboratorio ocean acidification, would also be reduced by 50% over the past 20 years, "adds Marbà.
The causes of this regression of Posidonia meadows nasa laboratorio are diverse. "67% of the decline of grasslands has been attributed to impacts caused by humans; 30% is due to eutrophication (excessive growth of algae) coastal; and 39%, multiple nasa laboratorio pressures, "says the scientist.
The researcher notes that this work "has evaluated the generalized state (stable, expanding nasa laboratorio or regression) of seagrass meadows in the Mediterranean from existing measures (1842) extension, coverage, nasa laboratorio and biomass density. We obtained data from 519 grassland, 97% of them on the European shores of the western nasa laboratorio Mediterranean. "
The authors conclude that "this study indicate the need to implement conservation and management measures nasa laboratorio to mitigate coastal nasa laboratorio deterioration combining local and global action."
Núria Marbà, Elena Diaz-Almela, Carlos M. Duarte. Mediterranean seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) Between 1842 and 2009 loss. Biological Conservation. Doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2014.05.024
Share this story Digg StumbleUpon Reddit Del.icio.us Facebook Twitter tools text Meneame Print Related Mortality of the 'Posidonia' News Version increased by 3% for each degree that increases the maximum temperature discover that the 'Posidonia' nasa laboratorio is the species longest biosphere The density of the 'Posidonia' Mediterranean nasa laboratorio could disminuirun 90% by mid-century Seagrasses store twice forest carbon accumulation of hydrogen sulfide in the seabed threat prairie 'Posidonia' More information
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