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Mediterranean aegagropiles from Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile (1813): a first complete description from macroscopic to microscopic structure

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Abstract

Aegagropiles are round-shaped conglomerations of Posidonia oceanica debris commonly found along the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. This study presents a detailed description of the composition of aegagropiles in terms of their internal organisation in different layers (and the orientation of the fibres in these layers), the proportion of constituent elements (fibres and minerals) and the histological (by way of microscopic observations) nature of all of these aegagropiles elements. The aim of this work is to take a detailed interest in the structure of the aegagropiles of Posidonia oceanica and to determine the process that forms them. Aegagropiles are an assemblage of two types of debris from the P. oceanica meadow: (1) plant-based: fibres more or less degraded from P. oceanica shoots (leaves and rhizomes) and (2) mineral particles such as silicates and biotic Ca-carbonate debris. On the basis of structural and compositional observations, we proposed an elucidation of the cycle in several phases: initiation of a “roll” by aggregation of litter fibres and sand in the ripple marks, growth, breakdown of the roll into small balls (microbial and mechanical degradation) and export of aegagropiles down (into the abyss) or on to the beaches. Calculations estimate that considering its density of 0.2 g/cm3, an aegagropile represents the accumulation of fibres from approximately 25 shoots of P. oceanica.

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Acknowledgements

This work is part of the STARE-CAPMED project funded by the STARESO Institute, the Territorial Collective of Corsica (CTC) and the Rhône Mediterranean Corsica Water Agency. The authors also thank Mrs Sarah Smeets for her excellent technical assistance. The authors thank the Center for Applied Research and Education in Microscopy (CAREM-Uliege) for providing access to electron microscopy equipment. This work was also supported by the Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS, Belgium). E.P. (post-doctoral researcher) has a mandate supported by the FNRS. The MARE publication number for this document is MARE401.

Funding

This work is part of the STARE-CAPMED project funded by the STARESO Institute, the Territorial Collective of Corsica (CTC) and the Rhône Mediterranean Corsica Water Agency and also supported by the Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS, Belgium). E.P. (post-doctoral researcher) has a mandate supported by the FNRS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Oceanology, MARE Centre, FOCUS, University of Liège, Allée du 6 Août, 15, Sart Tilman, B6c, 4000, Liège, Belgium

    Laurence Lefebvre & Sylvie Gobert

  2. Laboratory of Functional Morphology and Evolution, UR-FOCUS, MARE Centre and Centre for Applied Research and Education in Microscopy (CAREM), University of Liege, Sart Tilman, B6c, 4000, Liège, Belgium

    Philippe Compère

  3. Chemical Engineering–Products, Environment and Processes (PEPs), University of Liege, Sart Tilman, B5, 4000, Liège, Belgium

    Angélique Léonard & Erwan Plougonven

  4. GRASP, CESAM Research Unit, University of Liege, Sart Tilman, B5a, 4000, Liège, Belgium

    Nicolas Vandewalle

  5. STARESO, Pointe Revellata, BP33, 20260, Corse, France

    Sylvie Gobert

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  1. Laurence Lefebvre
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by LL, EP, AL, PC and SG. The first draft of the manuscript was written by LL and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Laurence Lefebvre.

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Lefebvre, L., Compère, P., Léonard, A. et al. Mediterranean aegagropiles from Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile (1813): a first complete description from macroscopic to microscopic structure. Mar Biol 168, 37 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-021-03833-y

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