Is the Kornati National Park Still an Acceptable Reference Area for Environmental Studies?

Abstract

The Kornati National Park (Croatia) is considered an environment with minimal anthropogenic input. The purpose of this study was to determine the isotopic characteristics of the sediment and muscle tissues of the banded dye-murex Hexaplex trunculus. We selected locations in the park according to their estimated risk of anthropogenic pollution (large, lower, and minimal). Isotopic analyses of the sedimentary organic carbon (δ13Corg values) showed that the sedimentary organic matter in locations with P. oceanica meadows (Piškera, Vrulje) was enriched in 13C compared to that of locations with the influx of terrestrial organic matter. The δ13C and δ15N values of the muscle tissues of H. trunuclus were the highest in the two locations with the highest possible anthropogenic impact (−14.47‰ and −15.66‰ for δ13Corg, +8.87‰ and +10.4‰ for δ15N). The high δ values may indicate the presence of the pigment indirubin (C16H10O2N2) and other derivatives that cause the purple coloration but are also elevated because of the discharge of untreated sewage from a nearby marina and village.

Keywords

• Kornati National Park
• marine sediment
• banded dye-murex <i>Hexaplex trunculus</i>
• stable isotopes
• carbon and nitrogen