Invasion of the Jellyfish Pelagia noctiluca in the Northern Adriatic: a non-success story

摘要

Over the last two centuries, massive outbreaks of Pelagia noctiluca were recorded on average at 12 years intervals in certain parts of the Mediterranean Sea. Population peaks of Pelagia noctiluca were sometimes accompanied by an expansion outside of its usual distribution range, and during 1977-1986 this jellyfish also populated the northern Adriatic Sea. After maintaining itself at rather high densities for several consecutive years, the Pelagia noctiluca population of the northern Adriatic collapsed rather abruptly and for no obvious reason.