Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
3.1
2.4
Journals
Diversity
Special Issues
Gelatinous Zooplankton Diversity and Distribution in a Changing Ocean
share announcement

Gelatinous Zooplankton Diversity and Distribution in a Changing Ocean

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Biodiversity Loss & Dynamics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 4919

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sonia Khadija Maïté Gueroun

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
MARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Agência Regional para o Desenvolvimento da Investigação, Tecnologia e Inovação (ARDITI), 9020-105 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
Interests: gelatinous zooplankton diversity and ecology; trophic web; microplastic; global change impacts
Prof. Dr. Mohamed Néjib Daly Yahia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Doha PO Box 2713, Qatar
Interests: zooplankton taxonomy, diversity and ecotoxicology; plankton numerical ecology; copepod production and reproductive traits; jellyfish diversity, distribution and trophic ecology; integrated coastal zone management; climate change impacts; coral reefs zooxanthellae ecology and ecotoxicology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is our pleasure and privilege to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue of Diversity on "Gelatinous Zooplankton Diversity and Distribution in a Changing Ocean". Gelatinous zooplankton, within Cnidaria, Ctenophora, pelagic Tunicata and Chaetognatha, are ubiquitous members of plankton communities. These organisms play an essential role in marine ecosystems (e.g., as prey, predators and hosts). Climate change and habitat transformations (eutrophication, artificial infrastructure, fishing, etc.) have led to modifications in local and global biodiversity, affecting gelatinous zooplankton. Changes in gelatinous communities can be expressed in their phenology, bloom events, changes in the community composition, and the appearance of non-indigenous species.

Despite their importance, the fragility of these organisms constitutes a challenge for the investigation of their diversity. However, the recent development of new tools and sampling techniques, including in situ observation devices and molecular methods, will allow us to unmask gelatinous zooplankton diversity.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to enhance our knowledge of (i) the spatial and/or temporal distribution patterns of these organisms’ diversity and abundance, (ii) the trophic ecology of gelatinous zooplankton in marine food webs and risk assessments related to harmful species, and (iii) the impact of environmental changes on gelatinous zooplankton. We welcome research contributions in the form of original research, reviews, methodological papers, short notes, and contributions that may include short, narrated scientific videos.

Dr. Sonia Khadija Maïté Gueroun
Prof. Dr. Mohamed Néjib Daly Yahia
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • gelatinous zooplankton (Cnidaria, Ctenophora, Pelagic Tunicata, Chaetognatha)
  • optical methods
  • DNA barcoding, metagenomics and genetic connectivity
  • diversity
  • phenology
  • biogeography
  • habitat changes
  • climate changes
  • marine ecology
  • risk assessment

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

19 pages, 13025 KiB  
Article
DNA Barcoding of Moon Jellyfish (Cnidaria, Scyphozoa, Ulmaridae, Aurelia): Two Cryptic Species from the Azores (NE Atlantic, Macaronesia), and Evaluation of the Non-Indigenous Species (NIS)
by Carlos J. Moura, Bruno I. Magalhães and João M. Gonçalves
Diversity 2023, 15(3), 323; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15030323 - 22 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2358
Abstract
Moon jellies are some of the most popular, widely distributed, and best-studied marine jellyfish. By the end of the past century only two or three Aurelia species were recognized, but with the rise of DNA barcoding studies, around thirty Aurelia species are presently [...] Read more.
Moon jellies are some of the most popular, widely distributed, and best-studied marine jellyfish. By the end of the past century only two or three Aurelia species were recognized, but with the rise of DNA barcoding studies, around thirty Aurelia species are presently accepted. Most of the species are morphologically indistinguishable and have restricted biogeography. We reveal, with COI, 16S, and ITS1-5.8S sequence data, two (pseudo-)cryptic species of Aurelia, potentially endemic to the Azores ecoregion, herein provisionally classified as A. “cf. pseudosolida” and A. “misteriosa”. These species are closely related to the Mediterranean lineages of A. pseudosolida and A. persea, respectively. In the Azores, the shape of the campanula and oral arms readily distinguishes the two species: the former with folded oral arms and globose campanula, and the latter with flattened campanula and thick and long oral arms. Previous reports of A. solida and A. aurita in the Azores should generally correspond to A. “misteriosa” and A. cf. pseudosolida, respectively. The phylogenetic (re-)examination of the available DNA barcodes of Aurelia only evidenced human-mediated dispersal for A. coerulea, A. relicta, and A. aurita. Aurelia solida cannot be yet considered NIS in the Mediterranean. More jellyfish DNA (meta)barcoding should reveal further cryptic diversity, biological invasions, and phylogeographic inferences. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gelatinous Zooplankton Diversity and Distribution in a Changing Ocean)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 3644 KiB  
Article
Dolioletta advena sp. nov., a New Species of Doliolid (Tunicata, Thaliacea) from the Adriatic Sea
by Rade Garić and Mirna Batistić
Diversity 2022, 14(11), 959; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14110959 - 09 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1529
Abstract
The Adriatic Sea, as a part of Mediterranean, is one of the best investigated areas in the world regarding zooplankton. Nevertheless, in the last decade four new species of gelatinous zooplankton were described from the Adriatic Sea. Whether these species are newcomers or [...] Read more.
The Adriatic Sea, as a part of Mediterranean, is one of the best investigated areas in the world regarding zooplankton. Nevertheless, in the last decade four new species of gelatinous zooplankton were described from the Adriatic Sea. Whether these species are newcomers or they were simply overlooked is still under investigations. Here we provide a description of a new species of Doliolida from the genus Dolioletta, Dolioletta advena sp. nov., found in the Adriatic Sea in August 2021, in a period of high sea temperatures and salinities, suggesting its thermal predilection. Its blastozooids dominated the studied doliolid blastozooid communities in the South Adriatic, except in the 50–100 m depth layer at a coastal Lokrum station. Blastozooids of D. advena sp. nov. possess unique morphological features which easily distinguish it from other doliolid species: the most prominent feature being the curved digestive tract where the intestine does not form a tight coil as in other Dolioletta species. The placement of this species in the genus Dolioletta is corroborated by COI phylogenetic analysis which showed that D. advena sp. nov. forms a well-supported monophyletic clade with Dolioletta gegenbauri (81% bootstrap support). In addition to D. advena sp. nov. COI sequence, we provide COI sequences of five doliolid and one pyrosomatid species, which will greatly improve the availability of thaliacean sequences for metabarcoding studies. The origin of D. advena sp. nov. is unknown, but given the fact that doliolids are well investigated in the Mediterranean Sea, it is likely that it arrived with sea currents either through the Suez Canal or the Strait of Gibraltar. Future investigations will confirm or reject this hypothesis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gelatinous Zooplankton Diversity and Distribution in a Changing Ocean)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop