Effects of two offshore gas platforms on soft-bottom benthic communities (northwestern Adriatic Sea, Italy)

Sarine Manoukian (1) , Alessandra Spagnolo (1) , Giuseppe Scarcella (1) , Elisa Punzo (1) , Roberta Angelini (2) , Gianna Fabi (1)

1 Istituto di Scienze Marine [Ancona]
2 ENI SpA E&P Division

The macrozoobenthos living around two offshore gas platforms, Barbara NW (pB) and Calipso (pC) located in the northwestern Adriatic Sea were investigated for three years after their construction to detect eventual effects due to the platforms. The sampling stations were spaced at increasing distance from the platforms up to 1000 m. Both multivariate and univariate analysis showed an initial defaunation (short-term effect) at pB and within a 120 m radius at pC. A general recovery in terms of abundance, species richness and diversity was observed for the benthic communities after one year. During the third monitoring year a mussel mound developed at both the platforms (longer-term effect) extending up to 30 m from pC, whereas similar soft-bottom communities were found at all the other distances. The geographical position play an important role in the "timing" of the above effects. Moreover, despite the different environmental features, a 3-year monitoring plan can be effective to evaluate the potential impact on benthic communities of offshore gas platforms in the north-central Adriatic Sea.

Mots clés: Offshore structures; Environmental impact; Zoobenthos; Community composition; Adriatic Sea; Mussel mound

Sarine Manoukian, Alessandra Spagnolo, Giuseppe Scarcella, Elisa Punzo, Roberta Angelini, et al.. Effects of two offshore gas platforms on soft-bottom benthic communities (northwestern Adriatic Sea, Italy). Marine Environmental Research, 2010, 70 (5), pp.402. ⟨10.1016/j.marenvres.2010.08.004⟩. ⟨hal-00631680⟩