Books by Stefano Di Muccio
Quaderni delle emergenze ambientali in mare” - ISPRA, Quaderni - Ricerca Marina n. 6/2014, 2020
These new guidelines, devoted to the Shoreline Clean-up Assessment Technique (SCAT), have been pr... more These new guidelines, devoted to the Shoreline Clean-up Assessment Technique (SCAT), have been produced by the ISPRA’s Area emergenze ambientali in mare of the national centre Centro Nazionale per le crisi e le emergenze ambientali e il danno (CN-CRE) with the Italian Ministry of the environment. Aimed at sharing knowledge and experiences with technical personnel and decision makers that may be involved in an environmental emergency following an accidental oil spill, this new title add to the already available tools on how to ascertain, combat and contain the consequences of a spill at sea of petroleum hydrocarbons, technical details better suitable for the Mediterranean coastal environments, on how to observe, sample and describe the contamination at sea and on stretches of coasts following an oil spill.
Papers by Stefano Di Muccio
Italian Journal of Zoology, Jun 1, 2009
The dried jaws of two specimens of Carcharhinus brachyurus were found in the collections of the Z... more The dried jaws of two specimens of Carcharhinus brachyurus were found in the collections of the Zoological Museum of the University of Palermo. Both pieces belong to the great Doderlein collection of fishes from Sicily assembled during the end of the nineteenth century (1862-1892) and are labelled as Carcarias (Prionodon) lamia and Carcharias lamia, respectively. These findings represent the first historical evidence of the presence of C. brachyurus in the Mediterranean Sea and add the southern Tyrrhenian to the species distribution within the Mediterranean. Moreover, sexual dimorphism in tooth morphology is documented for the first time in Mediterranean specimens. Some meristic and morphological data concerning the dentition are given, and a critical analysis of the presence of the species in the Mediterranean is presented.
Marine Biology, 2005
In the last 10 years, several studies have been carried out on the fish fauna of the Ustica Islan... more In the last 10 years, several studies have been carried out on the fish fauna of the Ustica Island marine reserve, yet no investigation was specifically addressed to the cryptobenthic fish assemblage. The first task of this study, conducted along the shallow rocky reefs of Ustica, was to determine the species composition, diversity and relative density of the resident cryptobenthic fishes. Furthermore, we aimed to assess the effects of some macroand microscale habitat characteristics on the distribution pattern of fishes. In particular, the effect of predator density was indirectly evaluated by comparing density data collected within and outside the integral reserve zone. Overall, 20 species belonging to Blenniidae, Gobiidae, Tripterygiidae, Scorpaenidae and Gobiesocidae were recorded. Gobius bucchichi, Scorpaena maderensis, Tripterygion delaisi, T. melanurus and T. tripteronotus were the numerically dominant and most common species. The effects of zone (i.e. of predator density), bottom type and depth on species richness, diversity and evenness were not significant. A greater total fish density was observed on stones compared with rocky cliff and plateau, but only in the shallowest depth range. At level of single species, G. bucchichi was more abundant inside than outside the integral reserve, but only on stones and at 0-2 m depth range. Density of G. bucchichi was generally higher on stones than on rocky cliffs or plateau and between 0 and 5 m depth, although these differences were not always significant. T. delaisi was conversely more abundant in the deepest stratum (7-10 m). Canonical analyses demonstrated that bottom type and depth influenced significantly the fish assemblage structure. The observed differences in the assemblage structure relied mainly upon the dominant species. T. tripteronotus was mainly associated with rocky plateau and the intermediate depth range (3-5 m), whereas S. maderensis, T. melanurus and Lipophrys trigloides inhabited preferentially the rocky cliffs. At microscale level, the habitat choice of the investigated species was almost entirely based on whether the substrate was either vegetated or composed of bare rock. T. delaisi and T. tripteronotus were associated with substrata covered by algae, whilst G. bucchichi, S. maderensis and T. melanurus preferred bare rock bottoms. In some species, the electivity indices for the less abundant type of cover, measured at different spatial scale, changed accordingly. For instance, the smaller the size of the sampled area, the higher was the intensity of the association between G. bucchichi and Anemonia viridis.
Cybium, 2006
L'abondance et la distribution des tailles des merous ont ete etudiees pendant l'ete le l... more L'abondance et la distribution des tailles des merous ont ete etudiees pendant l'ete le long des rivages d'un ilot (Scoglio del Medico), dans la reserve marine d'Ustica (Mediterranee nord-occidentale). La relation entre la distribution des merous et quelques caracteristiques du micro- et du macrohabitat a ete aussi estimee. Le merou brun Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834) est l'espece la plus commune et montre une population bien structuree. Cette espece manifeste un modele clair de variation de densite, avec un maximum d'abondance en juillet et en aout. La densite des autres especes residantes, la badeche Epinephelus costae (Steindachner, 1878) et la badeche rouge Mycteroperca rubra (Bloch, 1793) a considerablement change avec la periode d'echantillonnage. Elles ont ete trouvees principalement dans la region occidentale de l'ile, qui est la plus exposee a la direction predominante des vagues. L'echantillon des merous bruns etait domine par les i...
Food Additives and Contaminants, Dec 1, 2002
Journal of Chromatographic Science, Dec 30, 2011
In this article, a rapid and sensitive sample pretreatment technique for the determination of org... more In this article, a rapid and sensitive sample pretreatment technique for the determination of organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) in soil samples is developed by using dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) combined with gas chromatography-flame photometric detection. Experimental conditions, including the kind of extraction and disperser solvent and their volumes, the extraction time, and the salt addition, are investigated, and the following experiment factors are used: 20 mL chlorobenzene as the extraction solvent; 1.0 mL acetonitrile as the disperser solvent; no addition of salt; and an extraction time of 1 min. Under the optimum conditions, the linearities for the three target OPPs (ethoprophos, chlorpyriphos, and profenofos) are obtained by five points in the concentration range of 2.5-1500 mg/kg, and three replicates are used for each point. Correlation coefficients vary from 0.9987 to 0.9997. The repeatability is tested by spiking soil samples at a concentration level of 5.0 mg/kg. The relative standard deviation (n 5 3) varied between 2.0% and 6.6%. The limits of detection, based on a signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of 3, range from 200 to 500 pg/g. This method is applied to the analysis of the spiked samples S1, S2, and S3, which are collected from the China Agriculture University's orchard, lawn, and garden, respectively. The recoveries for each target analyte are in the range between 87.9% and 108.0%, 87.4% and 108.0%, and 86.7% and 107.2%, respectively.
Food Control, 2004
To evaluate the levels of contamination of the Adriatic Sea, Italy and to assess the intake of or... more To evaluate the levels of contamination of the Adriatic Sea, Italy and to assess the intake of organochlorine (OC) pesticides and polychlorobiphenyls by the general Italian population through seafood, a survey involving 12 species of fish, shellfish and crustaceans has been carried out. Samples have been collected from October to December 1997 from local fishermen and were representative of the
In 2005 we started a project aiming at monitoring marine biodiversity in the deep waters off the ... more In 2005 we started a project aiming at monitoring marine biodiversity in the deep waters off the Calabrian coast. A Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), equipped with a high definition digital camera (Nikon D80 ‐ 10 megapixels) with underwater strobe (Nikon SB 400), was used to investigate the coralligenous habitats from 30 to 150 meters depth. These habitats are until now poorly studied and little information is available concerning fish species’ presence and distribution. During the research 52 sites were investigated for a total of about 75 hours of observations. Fish were identified to the lowest possible taxon through the analysis of the video footage and the high definition pictures. Here we present the results concerning the species richness and the bathymetric distribution for each species. A total of 34 species of fish species were recorded. Among these, Gobius kolombatovici was observed for the first time in Italian waters. The most common species observed were Anthias anthias...
Marine pollution …, 2004
Polychlorobiphenyls (PCB) and organochlorine (OC) pesticides are endocrine-disrupting chemicals (... more Polychlorobiphenyls (PCB) and organochlorine (OC) pesticides are endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The Italian Ministry of Environment has undertaken a program (1999-2001) to measure levels of contaminants in top marine predators and to develop sensitive biomarkers for the evaluation of toxicological risk in these species. In 1999, 15 swordfishes (Xiphias gladius) taken from the Mediterranean Sea along the Sicilian coast (Strait of Messina, Italy) and in the Atlantic Ocean along the Azores Islands, and analysed for 34 congeners of PCBs and 27 organochlorine (OC) pesticides in gonad, muscle, liver and blubber tissues. In the tissues of Mediterranean swordfishes the sum of the determined PCBs congeners ranged from 4.61 to 4651.17 ng g(-1) on fresh tissue basis. Among organochlorine pesticides DDE, DDT and DDD (TDE) predominated with an overall range of 2.37-4734.56 ng(-1) w.w. In particular p,p'-DDE had concentrations appearing up to 3900 ng(-1), with the highest values found in fatty tissues, such as blubber. In the liver of Azores Island swordfishes lower levels of summation PCBs (8.43-294.17 ng/g w.w.) and summation DDTs (<0.01-217.44 ng/g w.w.) were determined.
ABSTRACT AbSTrAcT. -The abundance and size distribution of groupers during summer were assessed a... more ABSTRACT AbSTrAcT. -The abundance and size distribution of groupers during summer were assessed along the shores of an islet (scoglio del Medico) in the ustica marine reserve. The relationships between grouper distribution and some micro and macrohabitat characteristics were also evaluated. The dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834) was the most common species and showed a well structured population. This species displayed a clear pattern of variation in density dur-ing summer, with peak abundance occurring in July and august. The goldblotch grouper Epinephelus costae (steindachner, 1878) and the mottled grouper Mycteroperca rubra (Bloch, 1793) were the other resident species and their density varied markedly depending on sampling period. Both E. costae and M. rubra were mainly recorded in the western sectors of the islet, which were the most exposed to the prevailing wave direction. The dusky grouper sample was numerically dominated by medium sized individuals, whereas juveniles were not very common, likely due to the absence of sheltered sites along the islet coastline. a shift of groupers toward deeper waters with increasing size was observed both in E. marginatus and E. costae, whilst no significant differences were detected in the size frequency distribution with depth of M. rubra. The bulk of dusky grouper was observed resting on or close to bottom. conversely, both E. costae and M. rubra dwelled preferen-tially far from bottom. The kind of reaction of groupers to diver seemed to have no relationship with fish size. At micro-habitat level, E. marginatus preferred rocky reef areas with dense algal cover and high complexity. conversely, neither E. costae nor M. rubra appreciated uneven substrata, likely in relation to their benthopelagic habit. in terms of macrohabitat, only M. rubra showed specific requirements, preferring gently sloping plateau. réSUMé. -abondance, distribution des tailles et préférences d'habitat des mérous de la réserve marine d'ustica (Médi-terranée nord-occidentale). L'abondance et la distribution des tailles des mérous ont été étudiées pendant l'été le long des rivages d'un îlot (scoglio del Medico), dans la réserve marine d'ustica (Méditerranée nord-occidentale). La relation entre la distribution des mérous et quelques caractéristiques du micro-et du macrohabitat a été aussi estimée. Le mérou brun Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834) est l'espèce la plus commune et montre une population bien structurée. cette espèce manifeste un modèle clair de variation de densité, avec un maximum d'abondance en juillet et en août. La densité des autres espèces résidantes, la badèche Epinephelus costae (steindachner, 1878) et la badèche rouge Mycteroperca rubra (Bloch, 1793) a considérable-ment changé avec la période d'échantillonnage. elles ont été trouvées principalement dans la région occidentale de l'île, qui est la plus exposée à la direction prédominante des vagues. L'échantillon des mérous bruns était dominé par les indivi-dus de taille moyenne, les juvéniles n'étaient pas communs, probablement à cause du manque de refuges disponibles. E. marginatus et E. costae se déplacent en profondeur avec leur accroissement en taille, à l'inverse de M. rubra qui ne pré-sente pas de différence significative de distribution des tailles avec la profondeur. La plupart des mérous bruns ont été observés sur ou à proximité du fond. Au contraire, E. costae et M. rubra résident préférentiellement loin du fond. il n'y a eu aucun lien entre la réaction des mérous aux plongeurs et la taille des poissons. E. marginatus préfère un microhabitat carac-térisé par des zones rocheuses complexes avec une couverture dense d'algues. au contraire, E. costae et M. rubra n'appré-cient pas ce type de substrats irréguliers, probablement car ils ont un comportement bentho-pélagique. Pour le macrohabi-tat, seul M. rubra a montré des exigences particulières puisque cette espèce préfère des fonds avec une légère pente.
Chemistry and …, 2010
By-catch is one of the main sources of anthropogenic mortality in marine species of conservation ... more By-catch is one of the main sources of anthropogenic mortality in marine species of conservation concern worldwide. Between 2006 and 2008, the Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare (CoNISMa) coordinated a monitoring programme of cetacean by-catch in Italian pelagic trawlers, funded in compliance with European Regulation 812/2004. Sixteen independent observers monitored a total of 3141 hauls. The observation coverage ranged between 0.9 and 6.3% of the regional fishing effort. Almost all by-catch events were recorded in the northern Adriatic Sea. By-catch rates of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) were 0.0006 and 0.0255 individuals per haul, respectively. Given the low number of observed deaths, reliable estimates of total mortality for these two species were not obtained. The annual number of by-caught turtles was 863 (CV = 0.15), with 99% released alive. A 'hotspot' for turtle captures was found off Goro (south Venice). The existence of lethal interactions makes it important to understand whether the scale of this mortality is sufficient to pose a threat at population level. Finally, annual by-catch estimates for rays and sharks were 5436 (CV = 0.08) and 5414 (CV = 0.15), respectively. Thintail threshers (Alopias vulpinus), piked dogfish (Squalus acanthias) and smooth-hounds (Mustelus mustelus), which are both commercial and vulnerable to overfishing, were taken in large numbers.
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Books by Stefano Di Muccio
Papers by Stefano Di Muccio