Page 4 - Buia&al2001

602 M.C B UIA. M .C. GAMHI , F. B ADALAMENTI

Finally, the large amount of seedlings collected ashore the coast off Taranto (Lama)
represents the first record of both ftowering and germination for the Ionian Sea.

Phenology of seedlings from the studied areas showed a relatively large variability
of the main parameters (Tab. l), due probably to different age and different collection
depth and sites.

Juvenile shoots of Favignana and Ustica showed comparable phenological features,
and only the leaf width showed significant differences (Tab. 2). Scale thickness ranged
from 0.12 to 1.31 mm, and was comparable between the two groups of shoots. The
scale thickness range and means measured in juveniles plants fall within the range of
values recorded for scales of adult rhizomes (Pergent, 1990). A high variabili ty cha-
racterizes the scale thickness in adult rhizomes, being this parameter strongly affected
by depth, water movements and locality (Pergent, 1990).

Tab. 2 - Morpho-chronological features of the juvenile shoots of Posidonia oceanica collected in the
study sites.
Caral/eristiche morfo-cronologiche dei fasci giovanili di Posidonia oceanica raccolti nei sili di
studio.

Favignana (1995) Ustica ( 1999)

No. of shoots examined mean s.d. mean s.d. ANOVA
27 20
leaf length (cm) 4.65 6.66 F= 0.30 n.s.
length of longest leaf (cm) 7.4 3.22 8.30 6.55 F= O.OO n.s.
leafwidth (mm) 12.92 1.18 12.82
length of leaf bases (cm) 6.57 0.32 5.60 0.85 F= 9.94 **
No. leaves per shoot 1.33 1.26 1.31
adult leaves (%) 5.7 5.5 0.42 F= 0.03 n.s.
intermediate leaves (%) 53.2 55.4 1.20 F= 0.30 n.s.
juvenile leaves (%) 16.2 18.2
leaves with eroded apex (%) 30.5 26.3
leaves witb brown tissue (%) 39 39
33 33.6

No of shoot examined 17 16
for lepidochronology

No. ofscales per shoot 14.8 4.3 13. 1 4.7 F= 1.18 n.s.
range ofscale thickness (mm) 0.12-1.25 0.21 0.21-1.3 l 0.22 F= 0.16 n.s.
scale thickness (mm)
0.65 0.62

""" = significant p<O.O l
n.s.= not significant