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Journal articles on the topic 'Mediterranean marine ecosystems'
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1
GJONI, VOJSAVA, STAMATIS GHINIS, MAURIZIO PINNA, LUCA MAZZOTTA, GABRIELE MARINI, MARIO CIOTTI, ILARIA ROSATI, FABIO VIGNES, SERENA ARIMA, and ALBERTO BASSET. "Patterns of functional diversity of macroinvertebrates across three aquatic ecosystem types, NE Mediterranean." Mediterranean Marine Science 20, no. 4 (December 20, 2019): 703. http://dx.doi.org/10.12681/mms.19314.
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This study is focused on investigating the variation patterns of macroinvertebrate guilds functional structure, in relation to the taxonomic one, across aquatic ecosystem types along the salinity gradient from freshwater to marine and the resulting implications on guild organization and energy flows. Synoptic samplings have been carried out using the leaf-pack technique at 30 sites of the aquatic ecosystems of the Corfu Island (Greece), including freshwater, lagoon, and marine sites. Here, we analyzed the macroinvertebrate guilds of river, lagoon, and marine ecosystems, as: i. taxonomic composition and population abundance ii. trophic guilds composition and relative abundance; and iii. body size spectra and size patterns. The following variation patterns across the three ecosystem types were observed: a. trophic guild composition and body size spectra were more conservative than taxonomic composition within and among ecosystem types, where, trophic guild and size spectra composition were more similar between river and lagoon ecosystem types than with marine ones; b. a dominance on resource exploitation of large species over smaller ones was inferred at all sites; and, c. higher body size-specific density of individuals was consistently observed in lagoon than in freshwater and marine ecosystems. Results extend previous findings suggesting a common hierarchical organization of benthic macroinvertebrate guilds in aquatic ecosystems and showing that lagoon ecosystems have higher energy density transferred to benthic macroinvertebrates than both freshwater and marine ecosystem types.
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Dimarchopoulou, Donna, Ioannis Keramidas, Georgios Sylaios, and Athanassios C. Tsikliras. "Ecotrophic Effects of Fishing across the Mediterranean Sea." Water 13, no. 4 (February 12, 2021): 482. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w13040482.
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The status of the Mediterranean Sea fisheries was evaluated across the seven subdivisions of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), using ecotrophic and catch-based indicators for the period 1970–2017. All indicators confirmed that the fishery resources across the Mediterranean Sea are no longer sustainably exploited and that the structure and function of marine ecosystems has been altered as a result of overexploitation. Although declining catches were a common feature across the Mediterranean Sea, the pattern of exploitation and the state of stocks differed among the subdivisions, with the Levantine Sea and Sardinia having a better status. Although they only include the exploited biological resources of marine ecosystems, catch and ecotrophic indicators can provide insight on ecosystem status and fishing pressure. In the case of southern Mediterranean countries, catch and trophic levels are the only information available, which is extremely valuable in data-poor ecosystems.
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Govers, Laura L., Willem A. Man in ‘t Veld, Johan P. Meffert, Tjeerd J. Bouma, Patricia C. J. van Rijswick, Jannes H. T. Heusinkveld, Robert J. Orth, Marieke M. van Katwijk, and Tjisse van der Heide. "Marine Phytophthora species can hamper conservation and restoration of vegetated coastal ecosystems." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 283, no. 1837 (August 31, 2016): 20160812. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.0812.
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Phytophthora species are potent pathogens that can devastate terrestrial plants, causing billions of dollars of damage yearly to agricultural crops and harming fragile ecosystems worldwide. Yet, virtually nothing is known about the distribution and pathogenicity of their marine relatives. This is surprising, as marine plants form vital habitats in coastal zones worldwide (i.e. mangrove forests, salt marshes, seagrass beds), and disease may be an important bottleneck for the conservation and restoration of these rapidly declining ecosystems. We are the first to report on widespread infection of Phytophthora and Halophytophthora species on a common seagrass species, Zostera marina (eelgrass), across the northern Atlantic and Mediterranean. In addition, we tested the effects of Halophytophthora sp. Zostera and Phytophthora gemini on Z. marina seed germination in a full-factorial laboratory experiment under various environmental conditions. Results suggest that Phytophthora species are widespread as we found these oomycetes in eelgrass beds in six countries across the North Atlantic and Mediterranean. Infection by Halophytophthora sp . Zostera, P. gemini , or both, strongly affected sexual reproduction by reducing seed germination sixfold. Our findings have important implications for seagrass ecology, because these putative pathogens probably negatively affect ecosystem functioning, as well as current restoration and conservation efforts.
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Costa, Valentina, Valentina Sciutteri, Pierpaolo Consoli, Elisabetta Manea, Elisabetta Menini, Franco Andaloro, Teresa Romeo, and Roberto Danovaro. "Volcanic-associated ecosystems of the Mediterranean Sea: a systematic map and an interactive tool to support their conservation." PeerJ 11 (March 29, 2023): e15162. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15162.
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Background Hydrothermal vents, cold seeps, pockmarks and seamounts are widely distributed on the ocean floor. Over the last fifty years, the knowledge about these volcanic-associated marine ecosystems has notably increased, yet available information is still limited, scattered, and unsuitable to support decision-making processes for the conservation and management of the marine environment. Methods Here we searched the Scopus database and the platform Web of Science to collect the scientific information available for these ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea. The collected literature and the bio-geographic and population variables extracted are provided into a systematic map as an online tool that includes an updated database searchable through a user-friendly R-shiny app. Results The 433 literature items with almost one thousand observations provided evidence of more than 100 different volcanic-associated marine ecosystem sites, mostly distributed in the shallow waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Less than 30% of these sites are currently included in protected or regulated areas. The updated database available in the R-shiny app is a tool that could guide the implementation of more effective protection measures for volcanic-associated marine ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea within existing management instruments under the EU Habitats Directive. Moreover, the information provided in this study could aid policymakers in defining the priorities for the future protection measures needed to achieve the targets of the UN Agenda 2030.
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Prato, Giulia, Paolo Guidetti, Fabrizio Bartolini, Luisa Mangialajo, and Patrice Francour. "The importance of high-level predators in marine protected area management: Consequences of their decline and their potential recovery in the Mediterranean context." Advances in Oceanography and Limnology 4, no. 2 (November 20, 2013): 176. http://dx.doi.org/10.4081/aiol.2013.5343.
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High-level predators have been depleted in the oceans worldwide following centuries of selective fishing. There is widespread evidence that high-level predators’ extirpation may trigger trophic cascades leading to the degradation of marine ecosystems. Restoration of large carnivores to former levels of abundance might lead to ecosystem recovery, but very few pristine ecosystems are left as baselines for comparison. Marine protected areas (MPAs) can trigger initial rapid increases of high-level predator abundance and biomass. Nevertheless, long term protection is needed before the ecosystem's carrying capacity for large carnivores is approached and indirect effects on lower trophic levels are observed. The Mediterranean is probably very far from its pristine condition, due to a long history of fishing. Today small to medium-sized consumers (e.g. sea breams) are the most abundant predators shaping coastal benthic communities, while historical reconstructions depict abundant populations of large piscivores and sharks inhabiting coastal areas. Mediterranean MPAs are following a promising trajectory of ecosystem recovery, as suggested by a strong gradient of fish biomass increase. Consistent monitoring methods to assess relative variations of high-level predators, together with food-web models aimed at disentangling the indirect effects of their recovery, could be useful tools to help set up appropriate management strategies of MPAs.
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Möllmann, Christian, Alessandra Conversi, and Martin Edwards. "Comparative analysis of European wide marine ecosystem shifts: a large-scale approach for developing the basis for ecosystem-based management." Biology Letters 7, no. 4 (January 26, 2011): 484–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2010.1213.
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Abrupt and rapid ecosystem shifts (where major reorganizations of food-web and community structures occur), commonly termed regime shifts, are changes between contrasting and persisting states of ecosystem structure and function. These shifts have been increasingly reported for exploited marine ecosystems around the world from the North Pacific to the North Atlantic. Understanding the drivers and mechanisms leading to marine ecosystem shifts is crucial in developing adaptive management strategies to achieve sustainable exploitation of marine ecosystems. An international workshop on a comparative approach to analysing these marine ecosystem shifts was held at Hamburg University, Institute for Hydrobiology and Fisheries Science, Germany on 1–3 November 2010. Twenty-seven scientists from 14 countries attended the meeting, representing specialists from seven marine regions, including the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, the Barents Sea, the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Bay of Biscay and the Scotian Shelf off the Canadian East coast. The goal of the workshop was to conduct the first large-scale comparison of marine ecosystem regime shifts across multiple regional areas, in order to support the development of ecosystem-based management strategies.
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Talone, Marco. "PETRI-MED: Enhancing marine phytoplankton diversity monitoring in the Mediterranean." Open Access Government 44, no. 1 (October 10, 2024): 358–59. http://dx.doi.org/10.56367/oag-044-11633.
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PETRI-MED: Enhancing marine phytoplankton diversity monitoring in the Mediterranean Preserving biodiversity is crucial for sustaining life on Earth. Unfortunately, it is facing growing threats. Marco Talone and the PETRI-MED Team discuss their objectives for the PETRI-MED project and explain why it is urgently necessary. Marine biodiversity is crucial for maintaining healthy and resilient ecosystems. The variety of life forms in our oceans—from microscopic plankton to giant whales—plays a key role in sustaining ecological balance. Each species contributes to ecosystem services such as oxygen production, carbon sequestration, and nutrient cycling, which are vital for the planet’s health. Marine biodiversity also supports the global food web, providing a primary source of protein for over three billion people. Additionally, it contributes to the blue economy through fisheries, tourism, and biotechnology. Lastly, healthy marine ecosystems are better equipped to withstand and recover from environmental changes and human impacts, such as climate change and pollution. Among the various life forms inhabiting our ocean, phytoplankton is one of the most important.
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Rizzo, Lucia, and Tomás Vega Fernández. "Can the Invasive Seaweed Caulerpa cylidracea Represent a New Trophic Resource in the Mediterranean Sea?" Water 15, no. 11 (June 2, 2023): 2115. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w15112115.
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Non-indigenous species (NIS) represent one of the greatest threats to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, altering invaded habitats, competing with native species, and eventually becoming pests. The Mediterranean Sea is a marine biodiversity hotspot, with its coasts being densely populated and its living resources fished since ancient times. As a result of such a long history of exploitation, the whole basin is exposed to a wide array of human pressures, with their combined effects on marine ecosystems being amplified by ongoing climate change. Caulerpa cylindracea Sonder, 1845, is a non-indigenous invasive seaweed widely distributed in the coastal habitats of the Mediterranean Sea, which ultimately affects marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Here, a systematic literature analysis on the consumption of the NIS Caulerpa cylindracea by Mediterranean native and NIS species is provided, focusing on the benefits and drawbacks for the native biota and human health. The present review aims to synthetise knowledge and provide tools to manage the occurrence of the invasive seaweed C. cylindracea in the Mediterranean Sea, encouraging an ecosystem-based approach to the management of the ecological, economic, and social effects of the successful expansion of this NIS.
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Pessani, Daniela. "HOLOTIPUS IN MARINE BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION." Holotipus 2, no. 1 (March 9, 2021): 1–2. http://dx.doi.org/10.53561/rxwk2858.
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The oceans are a vast yet fragile environment, and one of the biggest issues scientists have to tackle today is the conservation of marine biodiversity. In 1975, to try to address the physical, chemical and biological alteration of these delicate ecosystems, 16 Mediterranean States together with the European Union, implemented the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP). The aim was to safeguard the marine environment and promote its development in the Mediterranean basin.
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López-Jurado, J. L., R. Balbín, F. Alemany, B. Amengual, A. Aparicio-González, M. L. Fernández de Puelles, M. C. García-Martínez, et al. "The RADMED monitoring programme as a tool for MSFD implementation: towards an ecosystem-based approach." Ocean Science 11, no. 6 (November 18, 2015): 897–908. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/os-11-897-2015.
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Abstract. In the western Mediterranean Sea, the RADMED monitoring programme is already conducting several of the evaluations required under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MFSD) along the Spanish Mediterranean coast. The different aspects of the ecosystem that are regularly sampled under this monitoring programme are the physical environment and the chemical and biological variables of the water column, together with the planktonic communities, biomass and structure. Moreover, determinations of some anthropogenic stressors on the marine environment, such as contaminants and microplastics, are under development. Data are managed and stored at the Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO) Data Centre that works under the SeaDataNet infrastructure, and are also stored in the IBAMar database. In combination with remote sensing data, they are used to address open questions on the ecosystems in the western Mediterranean Sea.
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Nawrot, Rafał, Paolo G. Albano, Devapriya Chattopadhyay, and Martin Zuschin. "Climate change and body size shift in Mediterranean bivalve assemblages: unexpected role of biological invasions." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 284, no. 1860 (August 2, 2017): 20170357. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.0357.
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Body size is a synthetic functional trait determining many key ecosystem properties. Reduction in average body size has been suggested as one of the universal responses to global warming in aquatic ecosystems. Climate change, however, coincides with human-enhanced dispersal of alien species and can facilitate their establishment. We address effects of species introductions on the size structure of recipient communities using data on Red Sea bivalves entering the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal. We show that the invasion leads to increase in median body size of the Mediterranean assemblage. Alien species are significantly larger than native Mediterranean bivalves, even though they represent a random subset of the Red Sea species with respect to body size. The observed patterns result primarily from the differences in the taxonomic composition and body-size distributions of the source and recipient species pools. In contrast to the expectations based on the general temperature–size relationships in marine ectotherms, continued warming of the Mediterranean Sea indirectly leads to an increase in the proportion of large-bodied species in bivalve assemblages by accelerating the entry and spread of tropical aliens. These results underscore complex interactions between changing climate and species invasions in driving functional shifts in marine ecosystems.
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Marcelli, Marco, Sergio Scanu, Francesco Manfredi Frattarelli, Emanuele Mancini, and Filippo Maria Carli. "A Benthic Zonation System as a Fundamental Tool for Natural Capital Assessment in a Marine Environment: A Case Study in the Northern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy." Sustainability 10, no. 10 (October 19, 2018): 3786. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su10103786.
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Coastal marine areas are characterized by the highest values of ecosystem services and by multiple uses that are often in conflict with each other. Natural capital analysis is claimed to be a valid tool to support space planning. In the context of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) of the European Union (EU), the EU Joint Research Centre (JRC) Scientific and Policy Report 2014 defines the monitoring of specific descriptors and their possible use, based on an ecosystem-services approach. Mediterranean marine ecosystems are characterized by high biodiversity and the presence of relevant benthic biocenosis that can be used as a tool to support coastal planning, conservation, and monitoring programs. In this study, we considered the Mediterranean benthic biocenosis, as classified by Pérès and Picard, as a working tool and propose a basic spatial unit for the assessment of marine ecosystem services. Focusing on a high-resolution local-scale analysis, this work presents an accurate identification of the different biocenoses for the coastal area of Civitavecchia in the Northern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy, and ecosystem services, as well as a benefits assessment, of the Posidonia oceanica meadows.
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Coquin, Salomé, Elena Ormeno, Vanina Pasqualini, Briac Monnier, Gérald Culioli, Caroline Lecareux, Catherine Fernandez, and Amélie Saunier. "Chemical Diversity of Mediterranean Seagrasses Volatilome." Metabolites 14, no. 12 (December 14, 2024): 705. https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo14120705.
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Background/Objectives: Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), extensively studied in terrestrial plants with global emissions around 1 PgC yr−1, are also produced by marine organisms. However, benthic species, especially seagrasses, are understudied despite their global distribution (177,000–600,000 km2). This study aims to examine BVOC emissions from key Mediterranean seagrass species (Cymodocea nodosa, Posidonia oceanica, Zostera noltei, and Zostera marina) in marine and coastal lagoon environments. Methods: BVOCs were collected using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) using divinylbenzene/carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane (DVB/CAR/PDMS) fibers and analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results: An important chemical diversity was found with a total of 92 volatile compounds (61 for Z. noltei, 59 for C. nodosa, 55 for P. oceanica, and 51 for Z. marina), from different biosynthetic pathways (e.g., terpenoids, benzenoids, and fatty acid derivatives) and with several types of chemical functions (e.g., alkanes, esters, aldehydes, and ketones) or heteroatoms (e.g., sulfur). No differences in chemical richness or diversity of compounds were observed between species. The four species shared 29 compounds enabling us to establish a specific chemical footprint for Mediterranean marine plants, including compounds like benzaldehyde, benzeneacetaldehyde, 8-heptadecene, heneicosane, heptadecane, nonadecane, octadecane, pentadecane, tetradecane, and tridecanal. PLS-DA and Heatmap show that the four species presented significantly different chemical profiles. The major compounds per species in relative abundance were isopropyl myristate for C. nodosa (25.6%), DMS for P. oceanica (39.3%), pentadecane for Z. marina (42.9%), and heptadecane for Z. noltei (46%). Conclusions: These results highlight the potential of BVOCs’ emission from seagrass ecosystems and reveal species-specific chemical markers.
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Rendina, Francesco, Annalisa Falace, Giuseppina Alongi, Maria Cristina Buia, João Neiva, Luca Appolloni, Giuliana Marletta, and Giovanni Fulvio Russo. "The Lush Fucales Underwater Forests off the Cilento Coast: An Overlooked Mediterranean Biodiversity Hotspot." Plants 12, no. 7 (March 29, 2023): 1497. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/plants12071497.
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Fucales (Phaeophyceae) are ecosystem engineers and forest-forming macroalgae whose populations are declining dramatically. In the Mediterranean Sea, Cystoseira sensu lato (s.l.)—encompassing the genera Cystoseira sensu stricto, Ericaria, and Gongolaria—is the most diverse group, and many species have been shown to be locally extinct in many areas, resulting in a shift toward structurally less complex habitats with the consequent loss of ecosystem functions and services. In this study, we report on the extensive occurrence of healthy and dense marine forests formed by Fucales in the Santa Maria di Castellabate Marine Protected Area in Cilento, Italy (Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean). On a total area of 129.45 ha, 10 Cystoseira s.l. taxa were detected using a combined morphological and molecular approach, with an average cover of more than 70%. One of these taxa has been sequenced for the first time. These findings underline the high ecological value of this area as a hotspot of benthic biodiversity and highlight the importance of marine protected area management and regional monitoring programs to ensure the conservation of these valuable yet fragile coastal ecosystems.
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Veneroni, Benedetta, and Paul G. Fernandes. "Fishers’ knowledge detects ecological decay in the Mediterranean Sea." Ambio 50, no. 6 (January 16, 2021): 1159–71. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13280-020-01452-3.
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AbstractThe Northern Adriatic Sea (NAS) is one of the most overexploited marine ecosystems in Europe. Given the gaps in scientific knowledge regarding the NAS, this study sought Fishers’ Ecological Knowledge (FEK) to determine NAS’ historical baselines for conservation. By interviewing 53 fishers in three ports of northern Italy, estimates of the catch rates of four commercial demersal species were generated over a 60-year period, and perceptions of target and non-target species’ diversity and benthic diversity were analysed in three groups of fishers (i.e. novices, experienced and veterans). Results showed a significant decline in perceived abundance of sole (Solea solea), common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) and mantis shrimp (Squilla mantis), and evidence was found of a Shifting Baseline Syndrome (SBS) among novices. Given FEK’s ability to complement scientific knowledge, fishers’ participation in marine management policies and intergenerational communication should be enhanced, to improve the status of marine ecosystems and hinder SBS.
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Harmelin–Vivien, M. L., D. Bǎnaru, J. Dierking, R. Hermand, Y. Letourneur, and C. Salen-Picard. "Linking benthic biodiversity to the functioning of coastal ecosystems subjected to river runoff (NW Mediterranean)." Animal Biodiversity and Conservation 32, no. 2 (2009): 135–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.32800/abc.2009.32.0135.
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Continental particulate organic matter (POM) plays a major role in the functioning of coastal marine ecosystems as a disturbance as well as an input of nutrients. Relationships linking continental inputs from the Rhone River to biodiversity of the coastal benthic ecosystem and fishery production were investigated in the Golfe du Lion (NW Mediterranean Sea). Macrobenthic community diversity decreased when continen¬tal inputs of organic matter increased, whereas ecosystem production, measured by common sole (Solea solea) fishery yields in the area, increased. Decreases in macrobenthic diversity were mainly related to an increasing abundance of species with specific functional traits, particularly deposit-feeding polychaetes. The decrease in macrobenthic diversity did not result in a decrease, but an increase in ecosystem production, as it enhanced the transfer of continental POM into marine food webs. The present study showed that it is necessary to consider functional traits of species, direct and indirect links between species, and feedback loops to understand the effects of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning and productivity.
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Gambaiani, D. D., P. Mayol, S. J. Isaac, and M. P. Simmonds. "Potential impacts of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions on Mediterranean marine ecosystems and cetaceans." Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 89, no. 1 (September 23, 2008): 179–201. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315408002476.
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The combustion of fossil fuels and the resultant impacts on climate may now represent one of the largest environmental threats. In the Mediterranean Sea, changes in bio-chemical and physical seawater properties resulting from global warming are likely to alter marine biodiversity and productivity, trigger trophic web mismatches and encourage diseases, toxic algal bloom and propagation of thermophilic species. This review highlights the current and potential threats of climate change to the Mediterranean marine ecosystems, including cetaceans, and stresses the emergent necessity for more integrated regulations and policies for the protection of marine biodiversity. For instance, in the Mediterranean Sea, the distribution and abundance of the small euphausid species Meganyctiphanes norvegica is correlated with specific hydrobiological parameters including seawater temperature, salinity and current patterns. Situated at the northern limit of its ecological tolerance, this species, which constitutes the only known food supply of the fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) in this region, might be affected by climate change-induced alteration of ocean circulation.
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Bottari, Teresa, Bilal Mghili, Kannan Gunasekaran, and Monique Mancuso. "Impact of Plastic Pollution on Marine Biodiversity in Italy." Water 16, no. 4 (February 6, 2024): 519. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w16040519.
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Plastic litter is a global threat affecting all marine ecosystems. Utilizing digital media platforms like Google, Facebook, and Instagram we assessed the detrimental effects of marine plastic litter on the biodiversity of the Italian marine ecosystem. We noted that marine plastic litter had adverse consequences on marine reptiles, mammals, sea birds, fish, crustaceans, and mollusks, including endangered and vulnerable marine species. The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) was the most recorded species found entangled in plastic litter. Our investigation revealed that abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear are the primary contributors to the entanglement of numerous marine species. The current study represents a preliminary step towards establishing databases that document records of entanglement, which may be useful in adopting new conservation measures in the Mediterranean geographical subareas. Our results emphasize the critical need for collaborative efforts among all stakeholders and policymakers to effectively manage marine plastic litter.
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Chaouni, Bouchra, Abdellah Idrissi Azami, Soumaya Essayeh, El Houcine Arrafiqui, Abdelhakim Bailal, Sanae Raoui, Saaïd Amzazi, et al. "Moroccan Lagoon Microbiomes." Water 14, no. 11 (May 27, 2022): 1715. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w14111715.
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Lagoons are fragile marine ecosystems that are considerably affected by anthropogenic pollutants. We performed a spatiotemporal characterization of the microbiome of two Moroccan lagoons, Marchica and Oualidia, both classified as Ramsar sites, the former on the Mediterranean coast and the latter on the Atlantic coast. We investigated their microbial diversity and abundance using 16S rRNA amplicon- and shotgun-based metagenomics approaches during the summers of 2014 and 2015. The bacterial microbiome was composed primarily of Proteobacteria (25–53%, 29–29%), Cyanobacteria (34–12%, 11–0.53%), Bacteroidetes (24–16%, 23–43%), Actinobacteria (7–11%, 13–7%), and Verrucomicrobia (4–1%, 15–14%) in Marchica and Oualidia in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Interestingly, 48 strains were newly reported in lagoon ecosystems, while eight unknown viruses were detected in Mediterranean Marchica only. Statistical analysis showed higher microbial diversity in the Atlantic lagoon than in the Mediterranean lagoon and a robust relationship between alpha diversity and geographic sampling locations. This first-ever metagenomics study on Moroccan aquatic ecosystems enriched the national catalog of marine microorganisms. They will be investigated as candidates for bioindication properties, biomonitoring potential, biotechnology valorization, biodiversity protection, and lagoon health assessment.
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Scarponi, Daniele, Arianna Mancuso, Stefano Goffredo, and Michał Kowalewski. "Mollusk Response Under Ocean Acidification in Shallow Marine Settings of Sicily (Central Mediterranean)." Bulletin of the Florida Museum of Natural History 60, no. 2 (February 16, 2023): 113. http://dx.doi.org/10.58782/flmnh.tbsm5836.
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Anthropogenic CO2 is a major driver of change in most marine ecosystems, as the consequent ocean acidification is threatening marine calcifying organisms. In this respect, long-term analyses on ocean acidification effects on marine ecosystems acclimated to high pCO2, as found around CO2 vents, are needed. Here we tackle mollusk assemblages from acidified shallow marine settings off the Aeolian archipelago (Central Mediterranean). The detected gradient manifests along a 34 m long transect (9.6 m and 11.4 m water depth), mostly in a Posidonia oceanica matte from normal (site 1) to high levels (site 3) of pCO2 (405 μatm, pH 8.1 and 715 μatm, pH 7.8; respectively). The strongest acidified condition at the vent crater (site 4, pCO2 1110 μatm, pH 7.7). At the vent site gaseous emissions are characterized by ~99% in volume of CO2 and ~0.6% of H2S. However, water dissolved H2S was below detection limit and the sulphate content along the transect does not show significant variations with respect to normal seawater values. Preliminary paleoecologic surveys on diversity structure (diversity profiles) and taphonomic degradation (NMDS, z scored % values) were conducted on mollusk remains collected along the natural pH gradient (sites 1-4). Along the P. oceanica matte (sites 1-3), overall mollusk taxon diversity (alpha and beta) decreased, mollusk in site 3 were mostly juveniles and had higher overall taphonomic damages than those retrieved at normal pH conditions. Within the vent crater only fewer and highly taphonomically altered gastropod specimens were retrieved on the pebbly seafloor, suggesting a very short residence time of shell material and rapid dissolution. Even if vents are not exact predictors of the anthropogenic-designed future of marine settings, due to their limited spatial and temporal extent, they can act as natural laboratories where to evaluate the output of ecosystem processes under rising pCO2 and the effects on the creation of the future fossil record.
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Di Biagio, Valeria, Gianpiero Cossarini, Stefano Salon, and Cosimo Solidoro. "Extreme event waves in marine ecosystems: an application to Mediterranean Sea surface chlorophyll." Biogeosciences 17, no. 23 (December 3, 2020): 5967–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-5967-2020.
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Abstract. We propose a new method to identify and characterise the occurrence of prolonged extreme events in marine ecosystems at the basin scale. There is growing interest in events that can affect ecosystem functions and services in a changing climate. Our method identifies extreme events as the peak occurrences over a predefined threshold (i.e. the 99th percentile) computed from a local time series, and it defines a series of extreme events that are connected over space and time as an extreme event wave (EEW). The main features of EEWs are then characterised by a set of novel indexes, related to initiation, extent, duration and strength. The indexes associated with the areas covered by each EEW were then statistically analysed to highlight the main features of the EEWs in the considered domain. We applied the method to a multidecadal series of winter–spring daily chlorophyll fields that was produced by a validated coupled hydrodynamic–biogeochemical model of the Mediterranean open-sea ecosystem. This application allowed us to identify and characterise surface chlorophyll EEWs in the period from 1994 to 2012. Finally, a fuzzy classification of EEW indexes provided bio-regionalisation of the Mediterranean Sea based on the occurrence of chlorophyll EEWs with different regimes.
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Achoukhi, Iliass, Yahya El Hammoudani, Khadija Haboubi, Lahcen Benaabidate, Abdelhak Bourjila, Abdelaziz Touzani, Chaimae Benaissa, et al. "Initial Discovery of Microplastic Presence in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Certain Fish Species in Al-Hoceima Bay." BIO Web of Conferences 109 (2024): 01013. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/bioconf/202410901013.
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The accumulation of plastic waste in ocean environments is a critical ecological issue impacting marine wildlife and human health. This study assesses the presence of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts of fish from Al-Hoceima Bay, a key part of the Mediterranean marine ecosystem. Using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, we analyzed 90 individuals from two different species, finding that 33% of the examined fish contained microplastics. Specific occurrences were 26% in mackerel and 40% in gilthead sea bream. These findings highlight significant contamination even in commercial fishing areas, raising urgent questions about the long-term ecological effects and health risks. Therefore, the need for effective plastic waste management policies is critical to protect our marine ecosystems and food safety.
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Zangaro, Francesco, Maurizio Pinna, and Valeria Specchia. "Environmental DNA as Early Warning for Alien Species in Mediterranean Coastal Lagoons: Implications for Conservation and Management." Diversity 16, no. 9 (September 1, 2024): 525. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d16090525.
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Non-indigenous species (NIS) introduction notoriously threatens the Mediterranean Sea. In addition, Mediterranean coastal lagoons play a crucial role as nurseries for marine species, which new NIS arrivals can threaten. Therefore, monitoring and early warning of NIS presence is essential in preserving biodiversity. An innovative technique for rapid and accurate species identification and biodiversity screening is the application of environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding. In this research, different Penaeidae (Arthropoda, Crustacea, Decapoda) NIS specimens were collected from a Mediterranean coastal lagoon after an early warning about a potentially invasive NIS arising from next-generation sequencing data. DNA barcoding of the DNA extracted from tissue samples and amplified with specifically designed primer pairs led to the recognition of Penaeus aztecus in this NATURA 2000 protected ecosystem for the first time. DNA barcoding from DNA isolated from the water where the living specimens were stored further validated the possibility of identifying P. aztecus starting from eDNA. This approach demonstrated the validity of environmental DNA analysis in the early screening of potentially invasive NIS presence in Mediterranean protected areas and ecosystems. This work describes an applicative example of the efficacy in improving the biomonitoring of lagoon ecosystems using molecular tools and it represents a guideline for the validation of eDNA metabarcoding data for the presence of potentially invasive species.
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Gianni, Fabrizio, Fabrizio Bartolini, Laura Airoldi, Enric Ballesteros, Patrice Francour, Paolo Guidetti, Alexandre Meinesz, Thierry Thibaut, and Luisa Mangialajo. "Conservation and restoration of marine forests in the Mediterranean Sea and the potential role of Marine Protected Areas." Advances in Oceanography and Limnology 4, no. 2 (November 20, 2013): 83. http://dx.doi.org/10.4081/aiol.2013.5338.
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Cystoseira species are some of the most important marine ecosystem-engineers, forming extended canopies comparable to land forests. Such forests are sensitive to human disturbances, like the decrease in water quality, the coastal development and the outbreak of herbivores. Conspicuous historical declines have been reported in many regions and several Cystoseira species are presently protected by European Union (EU) environmental policies. The aim of this work was to synthesize the conservation perspectives of Cystoseira forests in the Mediterranean Sea, focusing on the opportunities offered by artificial restoration and highlighting the potential role of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). MPAs give a better protection to healthy forests than non-managed sites and may be a source of propagules for natural recovery and/or for non-destructive artificial restoration of nearby damaged forests. MPAs lacking Cystoseira forests may also represent preferential sites for reforestation. We proposed a flow-chart for the conservation and a reasoned restoration of Cystoseira in the Mediterranean Sea. The successful conservation of Cystoseira forests is still possible, via raising public awareness on the role of Cystoseira and reducing human impacts on coastal ecosystems. Such actions have to be coupled with more specific large-scale management plans, encompassing restoration actions and enforcement of protection within MPAs.
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Di Guardo, Giovanni. "Alien Crabs as Potential Hosts of Pathogens Impacting Marine Megafauna’s Health and Conservation." Pathogens 12, no. 9 (September 19, 2023): 1177. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12091177.
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Climate change, with a special emphasis on global warming, is believed to be a key driver of the accelerated rate of alien species expansion into the Mediterranean Sea basin and, more generally, into all marine and oceanic ecosystems [...]
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Milanese, Martina, Antonio Sarà, Gianluca Sarà, and Jason H. Murray. "Climate change, marine policy and the valuation of Mediterranean intertidal ecosystems." Chemistry and Ecology 27, no. 2 (April 2011): 95–105. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02757540.2010.551118.
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Giménez, Joan, Laura Cardador, Tessa Mazor, Salit Kark, José Maria Bellido, Marta Coll, and Joan Navarro. "Marine protected areas for demersal elasmobranchs in highly exploited Mediterranean ecosystems." Marine Environmental Research 160 (September 2020): 105033. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.105033.
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Durrieu de Madron, X., C. Guieu, R. Sempéré, P. Conan, D. Cossa, F. D’Ortenzio, C. Estournel, et al. "Marine ecosystems’ responses to climatic and anthropogenic forcings in the Mediterranean." Progress in Oceanography 91, no. 2 (October 2011): 97–166. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2011.02.003.
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Giakoumatos, Stephanos D. V. "Humic compounds in marine ecosystems - Ecological importance in transitional Mediterranean zones." E3S Web of Conferences 436 (2023): 03005. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202343603005.
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By using the general term ‘humic substances’ (HS), a vast category is implied of heterogeneous organic compounds that are naturally occurred, formed under certain circumstances, bearing yellow to black colour. There are distinguishable fractions of the (HS) categorized e.g. according to hydrophilicity. Humic acids (HA), comprise the soluble fraction of (HS) at high pH values whereas fulvic acids (FA) represent the soluble fraction of (HS) under all pH conditions. The humin represents the unclassified, non-soluble fraction of organic material. (HS) are separating into two well distinctive categories i.e. allochthonous & autochthonous indicating a different origin. (HS) affect bioavailability of transition metal ions including Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn due to (HS) chelating properties and high affinity towards those metals. (ΗΑ) stimulate biodegradation and favors removal of various pollutants serving as bioremediation agents. Organic compounds leached from plastic debris into the aquatic phase, become part of the marine dissolved organic carbon (DOC) pool. Humic part characteristics are tightly bound to the anthropogenic impacts stressed over the shoreline and contribute to diagenetic processing of the marine seabed. The scope of the present essay was to outline the multi-functionality of humic substances in aquatic ecosystems with the given emphasis on the Eastern Mediterranean region.
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Vilas, Daniel, Maria Grazia Pennino, Jose Maria Bellido, Joan Navarro, Isabel Palomera, and Marta Coll. "Seasonality of spatial patterns of abundance, biomass, and biodiversity in a demersal community of the NW Mediterranean Sea." ICES Journal of Marine Science 77, no. 2 (November 27, 2019): 567–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsz197.
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Abstract Information on the spatial patterns and habitat preferences of marine species is key to understand the functioning of marine ecosystem and to manage and protect marine resources efficiently. However, the study of spatial patterns of marine ecosystems is challenging because they are dynamic environments that can vary seasonally. We modelled the spatial patterns of abundance, biomass, and biodiversity in a demersal community of the northwestern Mediterranean Sea by season using hierarchical Bayesian spatial models and environmental, physical, and anthropogenic factors. Overall, our findings revealed the importance of seasonality in the spatial patterns of the demersal community, which were mainly driven by sea surface temperature. Results also underlined important patterns of movements of demersal organisms: fishes, cephalopods, and crustaceans showed high densities in the area surrounding the Ebro Delta River in winter mainly driven by species-specific behaviour. Our results are relevant to inform future management measures in the study area, such as seasonal fishing restrictions, or to adapt local marine protected areas to seasonal processes. This study provides evidence of the need to expand current monitoring schemes to capture the seasonality of marine demersal communities for a more comprehensive marine spatial planning framework.
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Navarro-Barranco, Carlos, Alejandro Martínez, Juan Sempere-Valverde, Sahar Chebaane, Markos Digenis, Wanda Plaitis, Eleni Voultsiadou, and Vasilis Gerovasileiou. "Amphipods in Mediterranean Marine and Anchialine Caves: New Data and Overview of Existing Knowledge." Diversity 15, no. 12 (November 29, 2023): 1180. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d15121180.
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Marine and anchialine caves host specialized faunal communities with a variable degree of endemism and functional specialization. However, biodiversity assessments on this habitat are scarce, particularly in relation to small-sized cryptic fauna (such as amphipods), which often play a key role in benthic ecosystems. The present article compiles all records of marine and brackish-water amphipods inhabiting marine and anchialine caves along the Mediterranean basin, combining information extracted from a literature review with newly acquired records. A total of 106 amphipod species has been reported (representing approximately 20% of the Mediterranean amphipod species), mostly from the North-Western Mediterranean. Examination of new material from marine caves in Greece has yielded 14 new records from the East Ionian and Aegean Sea. Most of the reported species display wide ecological amplitude in terms of habitat and substrate preferences, feeding habits as well as bathymetric and geographical distribution. In contrast, only 17 amphipod species have been reported from marine-brackish waters in anchialine caves, predominantly represented by cave specialists with a narrow spatial distribution and distinct morphological traits. Our overall knowledge on amphipods inhabiting Mediterranean caves is far from complete so that new and valuable findings are expected to occur as new caves are explored.
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Di Biagio, Valeria, Stefano Salon, Laura Feudale, and Gianpiero Cossarini. "Subsurface oxygen maximum in oligotrophic marine ecosystems: mapping the interaction between physical and biogeochemical processes." Biogeosciences 19, no. 23 (December 8, 2022): 5553–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5553-2022.
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Abstract. The subsurface oxygen maximum (SOM) is observed in oligotrophic oceans and is associated with different physical and biological processes. This study characterizes the SOM in the Mediterranean Sea at the basin scale and investigates its driving mechanisms by analysing the output of the 1/24∘ resolution biogeochemical reanalysis provided by the Copernicus Marine Service for the 1999–2019 time period. We validated the model-derived oxygen concentration in the epipelagic layer at different spatial and temporal scales, including novel process comparisons with estimates from in situ observations. Moreover, using Biogeochemical Argo (BGC-Argo) float observations, we estimated the model uncertainty in reproducing the SOM concentration and depth in summer (13 mmol O2 m−3 and 13 m, respectively). The western and eastern Mediterranean Sea depicts different SOM signatures in summer, with higher oxygen values and shallower depths in the western Mediterranean. The concentrations and depths (in the ranges of 230–250 mmol O2 m−3 and 30–100 m, respectively) are in agreement with the estimations from the literature and show mesoscale variability patterns. The western Mediterranean also shows a stronger biological activity, specifically oxygen production and consumption, along the whole epipelagic layer and higher oxygen concentrations at the surface throughout the year, but heavy undersaturated waters are associated with winter deep convection in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. A 1-year analysis conducted on selected areas that are representative of the heterogeneity of summer SOM highlighted that the SOM can actually be sustained by biological production (as in northwestern Mediterranean areas), or it can be a residual of the confinement of spring production (as in the central Ionian area) and vertical motions influence its depth (as in the Levantine subduction area).
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D'Onghia, Gianfranco, Francesca Capezzuto, Roberto Carlucci, Angela Carluccio, Porzia Maiorano, Michele Panza, Pasquale Ricci, Letizia Sion, and Angelo Tursi. "Using a benthic lander to explore and monitor vulnerable ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea." ACTA IMEKO 7, no. 2 (July 4, 2018): 45. http://dx.doi.org/10.21014/acta_imeko.v7i2.544.
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<p class="Abstract">The MEMO (Marine Environment MOnitoring system) baited lander is used to explore and monitor marine ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea. MEMO is equipped with 2 video cameras, a multiparametric probe and a current meter, fully operative down to 1000 m in depth for 24 consecutive hours. Since 2010, the ecology team of the Department of Biology of the University of Bari (Italy) deployed the MEMO lander in some sensitive and vulnerable deep-sea habitats of the Mediterranean Sea, as part of national and international research projects. Data on environmental parameters (depth, salinity, temperature and current) and related to bentho-pelagic species, their small-scale distribution, size and behavior, have been recorded. MEMO has been also deployed in fragile and structurally complex habitats, such as coralligenous and cold-water corals, in order to monitor physico-chemical and biological variables as part of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Some practical applications of the MEMO lander are reported here, with indications of relative advantages and limitations.</p>
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Mancini, Alan Maria, Giacomo Bocci, Caterina Morigi, Rocco Gennari, Francesca Lozar, and Alessandra Negri. "Past Analogues of Deoxygenation Events in the Mediterranean Sea: A Tool to Constrain Future Impacts." Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 11, no. 3 (March 6, 2023): 562. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jmse11030562.
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Human-induced carbon emissions are altering the modern climate, with severe repercussions on ecosystems. Among others, anthropogenic pressure is causing deoxygenation of the bottom water, with the widespread establishment of hypoxic zones in several Mediterranean areas. The geological archives allow investigating past deoxygenation dynamics (sapropel events) and their impact on marine ecosystems. Here, we compare the causes and the evolution of deoxygenation dynamics which occurred during two different time periods (Messinian and Holocene) in different paleoceanographic settings based on their micropaleontological content. The Messinian sapropel events are the result of increased export productivity during a relatively cold and arid context, triggering bottom anoxic conditions. The Holocene sapropel formed in response to weakening/stopping of the thermohaline circulation due to increasing temperature and freshwater input. Our results suggest that the deoxygenation dynamics in the Mediterranean in the near future will not follow the trend characteristic of the Holocene deep-sea sapropel because of the predicted drying trend. Differently, the paleoceanographic setting triggering the Messinian shallow-sea sapropels is comparable with the modern situation in different Mediterranean areas, where human-induced eutrophication is promoting deoxygenation. Based on these results, we suggest that the patchy deoxygenation trend in the Mediterranean Sea caused by climate warming may lead to a drastic change in the ecosystem services which would likely impact human activities.
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Catania, Valentina, Gianluca Sarà, Luca Settanni, and Paola Quatrini. "Bacterial communities in sediment of a Mediterranean marine protected area." Canadian Journal of Microbiology 63, no. 4 (April 2017): 303–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjm-2016-0406.
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Biodiversity is crucial in preservation of ecosystems, and bacterial communities play an indispensable role for the functioning of marine ecosystems. The Mediterranean marine protected area (MPA) “Capo Gallo–Isola delle Femmine” was instituted to preserve marine biodiversity. The bacterial diversity associated with MPA sediment was compared with that from sediment of an adjacent harbour exposed to intense nautical traffic. The MPA sediment showed higher diversity with respect to the impacted site. A 16S rDNA clone library of the MPA sediment allowed the identification of 7 phyla: Proteobacteria (78%), Firmicutes (11%), Acidobacteria (3%), Actinobacteria (3%), Bacteroidetes (2%), Planctomycetes (2%), and Cyanobacteria (1%). Analysis of the hydrocarbon (HC)-degrading bacteria was performed using enrichment cultures. Most of the MPA sediment isolates were affiliated with Gram-positive G+C rich bacteria, whereas the majority of taxa in the harbour sediment clustered with Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria; no Gram-positive HC degraders were isolated from the harbour sediment. Our results show that protection probably has an influence on bacterial diversity, and suggest the importance of monitoring the effects of protection at microbial level as well. This study creates a baseline of data that can be used to assess changes over time in bacterial communities associated with a Mediterranean MPA.
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CHEIMONOPOULOU, MARIA, PANAYOTA KOULOURI, MONICA PREVIATI, GIULIA REALDON, Melita Mokos, and Athanasios Mogias. "Implementation of a new research tool for evaluating Mediterranean Sea Literacy (MSL) of high school students: A pilot study." Mediterranean Marine Science 23, no. 2 (March 31, 2022): 302–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.12681/mms.29712.
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The Mediterranean Sea is recognized as a key component in the development, economy, and culture of European, North African, and Middle East countries. With respect to heterogeneity across the region in different sectors, Ocean Literacy, though still in its infancy, is nevertheless a requisite for a better understanding of the two-way interaction between the Sea and its people. In the present study, marine issues in relation to the content knowledge of 154 high school students from the Mediterranean region were investigated by using a structured questionnaire based on the recently published Mediterranean Sea Literacy guide. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics to portray frequencies and knowledge scores of the participants, and inferential statistics to assess the effects of grade level on students’ knowledge. The study which focused for the first time on the unique features of the Mediterranean marine ecosystems, found the level of content knowledge of the participants to be low to moderate. It is therefore of the utmost importance for the organizations and networks working on marine issues in the Mediterranean Sea to develop synergies and coordinate research programmes to broaden engagement with human societies in the region.
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Consoli, Pierpaolo, Andrea Martino, Teresa Romeo, Mauro Sinopoli, Patrizia Perzia, Simonepietro Canese, Pietro Vivona, and Franco Andaloro. "The effect of shipwrecks on associated fish assemblages in the central Mediterranean Sea." Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 95, no. 1 (July 17, 2014): 17–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315414000940.
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Understanding the role played by sunken vessels in Mediterranean marine ecosystems is acquiring increasing importance. The aim of this research was to study the fish communities associated with four shipwrecks, by means of underwater visual censuses performed by a remotely operated vehicle, and to test the differences in composition of fish assemblages between these shipwrecks and the adjacent soft bottoms, considered as control sites. Multivariate analysis on the total fish assemblage showed significant differences between wrecks and controls. Results also showed higher levels of species richness and abundance near all wrecks than at a short distance from them on soft bottoms, thus indicating that these sunken vessels, thanks to their higher habitat complexity, act as artificial reefs, attracting aggregations of fish species and leading to a greater diversification of the local fish assemblage. Nevertheless, shipwrecks, which are an ideal target for recreational fishermen, could contribute to the over-exploitation of some high-value fish species, such asMycteroperca rubra, Dentex dentexandDiplodusspp., attracted by the artificial hard substrate of the vessel-reefs. The recent European directives suggest an urgent need for a better understanding of the crucial role played by these potential sources of pollutants on marine environments and ecosystems. An ecosystem approach to study and monitor these pollutant sources is, therefore, mandatory for appropriate remediation and/or mitigation of the potential negative effects on a productive and healthy ocean.
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BRAMANTI, LORENZO, ELISABETTA MANEA, BRUNA GIORDANO, TRISTAN ESTAQUE, OLIVIER BIANCHIMANI, JUSTINE RICHAUME, BASTIEN MÉRIGOT, et al. "The deep vault: a temporary refuge for temperate gorgonian forests facing marine heat waves." Mediterranean Marine Science 24, no. 3 (November 17, 2023): 601–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.12681/mms.35564.
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Climate change poses a significant threat to coastal areas, marked by the increasing intensity and frequency of marine heat waves observed in various ecosystems around the world. Over the last 25 years, a vast number of Mediterranean populations of the red gorgonian Paramuricea clavata have been impacted by marine heatwaves. The last mass mortality occurred during the summer of 2022 in the Western Mediterranean Sea, affecting mostly shallow populations (down to 30 m depth). Here we provide an assessment of the health status of mesophotic P. clavata populations down to 90 m depth to investigate a depth refuge hypothesis. Results show that the impact of marine heat waves decreases with depth, with a significant drop in mortality below 40 m depth. These observations support the hypothesis of a depth refuge from marine heat waves that may allow, at least temporarily, the maintenance of P. clavata in the Western Mediterranean Sea. The present study strongly advocates for further investigations and monitoring of the mesophotic zone to chart potential areas that could serve as deep refuge for gorgonians.
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Tyllianakis, Emmanouil. "“Please let me visit”: Management options for marine ecosystems in a Mediterranean Marine Protected Area." Journal for Nature Conservation 67 (June 2022): 126174. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2022.126174.
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Basnawi, Ashwaq. "“Fuel Burns Mixed with Seawater”: The Relationship between the Refugee Tragedy and the Ecological Crisis in the Mediterranean Sea in Khaled Mattawa’s Mare Nostrum (2019)." Arab World English Journal For Translation and Literary Studies 5, no. 1 (February 15, 2021): 210–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awejtls/vol5no1.15.
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With environmental sustainability gaining more attention in contemporary literature, Arab-American poets have begun to focus on the connection between nature and current Middle Eastern and North African politics. Khaled Mattawa’s fifth collection of poems, Mare Nostrum (2019), discusses the twenty-first-century refugee crisis in the Mediterranean through the effects of economics and environmental destruction on both humans and marine ecosystems alike. This paper aims to examine the Mediterranean migrant tragedy’s entanglement with its ecological crisis in Mattawa’s poems. The study seeks to answer the question: can an analysis of Mare Nostrum (2019) illustrate a parallel between humans’ oppression and the environment? A postcolonial ecocritical lens can explore this connection by looking at the “changing relationship between people, animals, and environment . . . that can be recuperated for anticolonial critique” (Huggan and Tiffin 12). The study’s significance exists in showing the destructive impact of political crises that extend beyond human displacement to become an ecological issue that threatens marine ecosystems. The study’s findings reveal that Mattawa’s poems illustrate that the environmental and humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean is a result of both economic and political instability.
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Occhipinti-Ambrogi, Anna, and Bella Galil. "Marine alien species as an aspect of global change." Advances in Oceanography and Limnology 1, no. 1 (June 1, 2010): 199. http://dx.doi.org/10.4081/aiol.2010.5300.
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The transport of organisms across oceans is an anthropogenic agent of global change that has profoundly affected the natural distribution of littoral biota and altered the makeup of biogeographic regions. The homogenization of marine biotas is a phenomenon especially affecting coastal regions and is spearheaded by a suite of opportunistic species at the expense of native species. Climate change may exacerbate the trend: sea surface temperatures, hydrodynamics, pH and carbonate cycles, already show marked fluctuations compared to the past. Alien invasive species are impacted by the change of marine climate in a variety of ways, which are we have just begun to notice, observe and interpret. A conceptual framework has yet to be conceived that links theories on biological introductions and invasions with the physical aspects of global change. Therefore predicting the scale of invasions or their impact on biodiversity is a daunting task. Integration of biological and environmental information systems, niche models, and climate projections would improve management of aquatic ecosystems under the dual threats of biotic invasions and climate change. The recorded spread of alien species and analysis of patterns of invasions may serve as the starting point for searching connections with climate change descriptors. The Mediterranean Sea is home to an exceptionally large number of alien species, resulting from its exceptional history and multiple vectors. For much of the twentieth century alien thermophilic species, which had entered the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal, have been confined to the Levantine Basin. In recent years climate driven hydrographic changes have coincided with a pronounced expansion of alien thermophilic biota to the central and western basins of the Mediterranean. We discuss some changes in emergent functions and services in Mediterranean ecosystems under the combined effect of invasive species and climate changes.
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Xavier, Joana, and Rob van Soest. "Demosponge fauna of Ormonde and Gettysburg Seamounts (Gorringe Bank, north-east Atlantic): diversity and zoogeographical affinities." Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 87, no. 6 (December 2007): 1643–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315407058584.
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Seamounts, although abundant features of the world's oceans, constitute one of the least studied marine ecosystems. In the present work we assessed the diversity and zoogeographical affinities of the demosponge assemblages of Gettysburg and Ormonde Seamounts (Gorringe Bank, north-east Atlantic). Twenty-three demosponge species were identified adding to the thirteen previously reported for Gorringe shallow-water. Gorringe's demosponge assemblage was found to be mainly composed of species with a wide Atlanto–Mediterranean distribution (61%) and a group of species (28%) that are endemic to this Bank or have a restricted geographical distribution. This high level of endemism suggests the Gorringe Bank as a hotspot for demosponge fauna in the north-east Atlantic. Gorringe demosponge fauna was found to present an overall moderate similarity to the Mediterranean, Iberian coasts and Macaronesian archipelagos. We compare our findings with patterns reported for fish and molluscan faunas for this Bank and discuss some evolutionary aspects on the role of these ecosystems for the north-east Atlantic marine biota.
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Bottacini, Davide, Bart J. A. Pollux, Reindert Nijland, Patrick A. Jansen, Marc Naguib, and Alexander Kotrschal. "Lionfish (Pterois miles) in the Mediterranean Sea: a review of the available knowledge with an update on the invasion front." NeoBiota 92 (April 25, 2024): 233–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.92.110442.
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Invasive species often severely impact ecosystems and human activities in the areas that they invade. The lionfishes Pterois miles and P. volitans are regarded as the most successful invasive fishes in marine ecosystems. In the last 40 years, these Indo-Pacific predators have established in the tropical western Atlantic Ocean, with well-documented detrimental effects on the local fish communities. Around 10 years ago, a second invasion began in the Mediterranean Sea, which is being colonised by P. miles. Given the invasive potential of P. miles and the fact that the ecology and biodiversity of the temperate/sub-tropical Mediterranean Sea offer a different setting from the tropical western Atlantic, specific knowledge on this second invasion is needed. Here, we: (i) review the scientific knowledge available on the ecology of invasive lionfishes, (ii) discuss such knowledge in the context of invasion ecology and (iii) suggest future research avenues on the P. miles invasion in the Mediterranean Sea. In addition, we offer an update on the spread of P. miles in the Mediterranean Sea. While the history and development of the Mediterranean invasion are resolved and some mitigation plans have been implemented locally, the study of the interactions of P. miles with Mediterranean species and their impact on the local biodiversity is in its infancy. Closing this gap will lead to important fundamental insights in invasion ecology and will result in predictions on the impact of P. miles on the ecology and ecosystem services of the Mediterranean Sea. Such information will have practical implications for policy-makers aiming to devise sound and efficient mitigation plans.
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Demestre, Montserrat, Paolo Sartor, Alfredo Garcia-de-Vinuesa, Mario Sbrana, Francesc Maynou, and Andrea Massaro. "Ecological importance of survival of unwanted invertebrates discarded in different NW Mediterranean trawl fisheries." Scientia Marina 82, S1 (December 20, 2018): 189. http://dx.doi.org/10.3989/scimar.04784.28a.
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There is currently very little information on the survival of discards of unwanted and unregulated catches of invertebrates after the stresses caused by capture. A great number of the unregulated invertebrate species form the basis of essential fish habitats for important fisheries resources such as hake, red mullet and cuttlefish. Thus, data on their survival after discarding may help to interpret the role of these species within the benthic ecosystems. Furthermore, descriptor 6 of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (EU Directive 2008/56/E) foresees maintaining sea floor integrity at a level that ensures that the structure and functions of the ecosystems are safeguarded, and Article 7(d) of the Common Fisheries Policy (EU Reg. 1380/2013) foresees the implementation of management measures for fishing with low impact on the marine ecosystem and fishery resources. Survival measurements by direct recovery of tagged discarded species are not effective in bottom trawl fisheries, for which alternative studies such as semi-quantitative measures obtained on board prior to discarding can be considered as appropriate for mortality estimation. The present work assessed the survival of unwanted species using a semi-quantitative assessment on the deck of trawlers and at the laboratory for a period of 96 hours in two Mediterranean areas (the Catalan coast and the Ligurian and Northern Tyrrhenian seas). A high number of discarded invertebrates showed a high percentage of survival (>70%) in both assessments. The results can be used to provide information that can help to achieve higher survival levels of discarded specimens and enhance the productivity of fishing grounds by increasing the health of benthic ecosystems.
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BILECENOGLU, M., J. E. F. ALFAYA, E. AZZURRO, R. BALDACCONI, Y. Ö. BOYACI, V. CIRCOSTA, L. J. V. COMPAGNO, et al. "New Mediterranean Marine biodiversity records (December, 2013)." Mediterranean Marine Science 14, no. 2 (October 29, 2013): 463. http://dx.doi.org/10.12681/mms.676.
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Based on recent biodiversity studies carried out in different parts of the Mediterranean, the following 19 species are included as new records on the floral or faunal lists of the relevant ecosystems: the green algae Penicillus capitatus (Maltese waters); the nemertean Amphiporus allucens (Iberian Peninsula, Spain); the salp Salpa maxima (Syria); the opistobranchs Felimida britoi and Berghia coerulescens (Aegean Sea, Greece); the dusky shark Carcharhinus obscurus (central-west Mediterranean and Ionian Sea, Italy); Randall’s threadfin bream Nemipterus randalli, the broadbanded cardinalfish Apogon fasciatus and the goby Gobius kolombatovici (Aegean Sea, Turkey); the reticulated leatherjack Stephanolepis diaspros and the halacarid Agaue chevreuxi (Sea of Marmara, Turkey); the slimy liagora Ganonema farinosum, the yellowstripe barracuda Sphyraena chrysotaenia, the rayed pearl oyster Pinctada imbricata radiata and the Persian conch Conomurex persicus (south-eastern Crete, Greece); the blenny Microlipophrys dalmatinus and the bastard grunt Pomadasys incisus (Ionian Sea, Italy); the brown shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus (north-eastern Levant, Turkey); the blue-crab Callinectes sapidus (Corfu, Ionian Sea, Greece). In addition, the findings of the following rare species improve currently available biogeographical knowledge: the oceanic pufferfish Lagocephalus lagocephalus (Malta); the yellow sea chub Kyphosus incisor (Almuñécar coast of Spain); the basking shark Cetorhinus maximus and the shortfin mako Isurus oxyrinchus (north-eastern Levant, Turkey).
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Calderisi, Giulia, Donatella Cogoni, and Giuseppe Fenu. "Unravelling the Nexus of Beach Litter and Plant Species and Communities Along the Mediterranean Coasts: A Critical Literature Review." Plants 13, no. 22 (November 6, 2024): 3125. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/plants13223125.
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Beach litter, an anthropogenic and hazardous component, can interact with psammophilous plant species and communities. These are particularly prominent in the Mediterranean Basin, renowned for its highly specialized and unique flora but recognized as one of the areas that is globally most severely affected by marine litter. To provide a comprehensive picture and outline possible future directions, data on beach litter in the Mediterranean coastal ecosystems were collected through a bibliographic research. Overall, 103 studies investigated the presence of beach litter on the Mediterranean coasts, of which only 18 considered its relationship with psammophilous plant species and communities. Our research highlights that this topic is rather underexplored in the Mediterranean Basin and the need to develop a standardized protocol for the assessment of beach litter that can be applied consistently across different beaches and countries. Information collected through a standardized protocol might improve the management and conservation strategies for these fragile ecosystems.
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Ye, Wei. "Visualized Quantitative Research or Marine Pollution in the South China Sea." International Journal of Sustainable Future for Human Security 8 (December 27, 2021): 20–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.24910/jsustain/8/2032.
Full textAbstract:
The rapid social-economic development of the countries bordering the South China Sea has resulted in increased marine pollution of the region, yet little study has been carried out on marine pollution in the region. This article is one of the first few attempts among existing literature to understand marine pollution in the South China Sea as a large marine ecosystem and its implications for sustainability. We have conducted systematic literature reviews for marine pollution in the South China Sea and three other regional seas/large marine ecosystems, namely, the Gulf of California, the Mediterranean Sea, and the North Sea with the assistance of CiteSpace. By comparison of studies in the three regional seas, the research of marine pollution in the South China Sea only touches on the impact of microplastics, and existing literature in the area is less efficient in the study of impacts of modern pollution on marine organisms and the uncertain bioaccumulation effect on humanity. Therefore, it is recommended that researchers in the region cooperate to conduct a holistic study of ocean pollution, and study of biological impacts of pollution on marine organisms should be strengthened.
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Louzao, Maite, Karine Delord, David García, Isabel Afán, José Manuel Arcos, and Henri Weimerskirch. "First days at sea: depicting migration patterns of juvenile seabirds in highly impacted seascapes." PeerJ 9 (May 11, 2021): e11054. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.11054.
Full textAbstract:
Increasing human activities have detrimental consequences on marine ecosystems and their impact can have cumulative effects. Within marine ecosystems, seabirds respond to ecosystem variability and face multiple human pressures, especially threatened species. In long-lived species, juveniles and immatures could represent up to 50% of the total population, but their migratory movements remain largely unknown. Here, we depict the migratory patterns of juvenile Balearic shearwaters Puffinus mauretanicus, the most threatened European seabird, using miniaturised satellite transmitters. At the end of the 2012 breeding season, five tagged juveniles left the breeding colonies of Eivissa Island (western Mediterranean) the first week of July. They moved westwards to reach the Atlantic Ocean between 3 and 13 days afterwards. Juveniles showed a two-phase migratory pattern: they first travelled slower close to the breeding colonies, and then moved towards their wintering areas in the Atlantic Ocean by rapid directional movements. Environmental cues (e.g.,marine productivity, water mass distribution, frontal systems) might have a prominent role in driving the migratory patterns of juvenile Balearic shearwaters, moving from warm and poor marine areas in the Mediterranean Sea to cooler and rich non-breeding grounds in the Atlantic Ocean. Based on observational findings, we observed certain spatial overlap of juvenile Balearic shearwaters with areas of high human impact, but the relationship between flying travel speed and both fishing effort and cumulative human impacts were not statistically significant. These results suggest that more research is needed to assess whether the movement patterns of migrating juveniles are affected by human activities. Therefore, understanding the at-sea spatial ecology of juveniles should be a priority for research and conservation due to the importance of this population component in long-lived species, as well as assessing their vulnerability to multiple anthropogenic pressures.
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Collet, Serge. "Appropriation of Marine Resources: from Management to an Ethical Approach to Fisheries Governance." Social Science Information 41, no. 4 (December 2002): 531–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0539018402041004002.
Full textAbstract:
The new historical fragility or vulnerability of marine resources and ecosystems, induced by the industrialization process of “fishing down the food webs”, calls for a postmodern governance paradigm aimed at rebuilding the generative capacity of marine ecosystems so as to restore their resilience. In a highly turbulent and bleak context, this daunting task cannot ignore the ethical dimension, defined as the setting in order, the regulation of the human power to act in non-egalitarian and asymmetrical contexts. This process of rearrangement of the modes of use of the res halieutica requires crafting new harmonious relationships with the marine environment, by retailoring the space of the commons. Giving for keeping and the Noun graph suggest a design for a postmodern pathway to healthy fisheries which is particularly well-suited to the Mediterranean Sea.
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Russo, Luca, Daniele Bellardini, Raffaella Casotti, Priscilla Licandro, Maria Grazia Mazzocchi, Arantza Murillas, Isabella Percopo, Diana Sarno, and Domenico D’Alelio. "The Spatiotemporal Variability of Marine Plankton Ecosystem Services at the Regional Scale: A Combined Approach Using a Systematic Review and Network Analysis." Sustainability 17, no. 3 (February 1, 2025): 1182. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17031182.
Full textAbstract:
Marine plankton include organisms driving multiple ecosystem services (ESs). In this study, we identified ESs provided by planktonic consortia worldwide from the analysis of scientific literature. We also mapped the identified ESs onto forty-nine plankton trophic networks derived from presence–absence data obtained from two coastal surveys in three areas along the coast of the Campania region in the Tyrrhenian Sea (NW Mediterranean). The systematic review evidenced that ESs associated with goods provision and ecosystem regulation were the most studied categories, while cultural ESs were the least considered. The mapping of ESs across the Campania coast revealed significant spatiotemporal variations in plankton-based ESs, which depend on seasonal variability and local environmental conditions. Among the ESs, those connected with the regulation and maintenance of marine ecosystems dominated both temporally and spatially, highlighting the crucial role of plankton in ecosystem stability and resilience. Moreover, although the direct provision of goods and materials was less represented, food provision to higher trophic levels was widespread within each coastal sector, highlighting the crucial role of plankton biodiversity in directly sustaining the whole marine ecosystem and related economic activities such as fisheries and aquacultures.