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Biodiversity Conservation in Mediterranean Sea
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Biodiversity Conservation in Mediterranean Sea

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Diversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2022) | Viewed by 46265

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Carlo Nike Bianchi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
Interests: marine ecology; marine benthic habitats; marine diversity; coral reefs; seagrass meadows; submarine caves; marine ecosystem change; scuba surveys
Dr. Carla Morri

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
Interests: seagrass meadows; rocky reefs; coral reefs; marine caves; seafloor ecological status; climate change; marine biodiversity

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Astonishing species richness and high number of endemics make the Mediterranean Sea a biodiversity hotspot. Unfortunately, the Mediterranean Sea is also a hotspot of human pressure, because of the high population density along its coasts, the intensity of tourism, the huge volume of maritime traffic, and a rate of marine invasion with few equals in the world. Being a semi-closed basin, the Mediterranean Sea is also particularly exposed to the consequence of sea water warming. Conserving the Mediterranean marine biodiversity has therefore become a priority. A major step towards this goal has been the Barcelona Convention, adopted in 1976 and signed by all Mediterranean countries and the European Union, with the aim of protecting the marine environment and the coastal region of the Mediterranean. In 1999, the Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas produced two reference lists, one with the marine habitats and one with the marine species to be protected. In addition, numerous Marine Protected Areas and other similar institutes have been established throughout the Mediterranean Sea, including the International whale Sanctuary “Pelagos”.

The aim of this Special Issue is to collate papers reporting on the results of these conservation initiatives: present status of protected habitats and species, trajectory of change in marine ecosystems, activities of marine protected areas, biodiversity monitoring and management plans. Papers dealing with ecological, socio-economic, and legal-administrative aspects will be accepted, and regional comparisons as well as case studies are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Carlo Nike Bianchi
Dr. Carla Morri
Guest Editors

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30 pages, 10413 KiB  
Article
Cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea: Encounter Rate, Dominant Species, and Diversity Hotspots
by Guido Gnone, Michela Bellingeri, Sabina Airoldi, Joan Gonzalvo, Léa David, Nathalie Di-Méglio, Ana M. Cañadas, Aylin Akkaya, Tim Awbery, Barbara Mussi, Ilaria Campana, Marta Azzolin, Ayhan Dede, Arda M. Tonay, Clara Monaco, Giuliana Pellegrino, Paola Tepsich, Aurelie Moulins, Antonella Arcangeli, Hélène Labach, Aviad P. Scheinin, Yaly Mevorach, Roberto Carlucci, Francesca C. Santacesaria, Carla A. Chicote, Manel Gazo, Beatriz Tintore, Jessica Alessi, Alberta Mandich, Luca Bittau, Bruno Diaz Lopez, Caroline Azzinari, Gabriella La Manna, Daniela Silvia Pace, Donatella Decandia, Alberto Castelli, Silvio Nuti, Marie-Catherine Santoni, Alessandro Verga, Nicolas Tomasi, Cristina Giacoma, Matteo Costantino, Marta Falabrino and Arianna Azzellinoadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Diversity 2023, 15(3), 321; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d15030321 - 22 Feb 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5803
Abstract
We investigated the presence and diversity of cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea, analysing the data collected by 32 different research units, over a period of 15 years (2004–2018), and shared on the common web-GIS platform named Intercet. We used the encounter rate, the [...] Read more.
We investigated the presence and diversity of cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea, analysing the data collected by 32 different research units, over a period of 15 years (2004–2018), and shared on the common web-GIS platform named Intercet. We used the encounter rate, the species prevalence, and the Shannon diversity index as parameters for data analysis. The results show that cetacean diversity, in the context of the Mediterranean basin, is generally quite low when compared with the eastern Atlantic, as few species, namely the striped dolphin, the bottlenose dolphin, the fin whale, and the sperm whale, dominate over all the others. However, some areas, such as the Alboran Sea or the north-western Mediterranean Sea, which includes the Pelagos Sanctuary (the Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Interest located in the northern portion of the western basin), show higher levels of diversity and should be considered hotspots to be preserved. Primary production and seabed profile seem to be the two main drivers influencing the presence and distribution of cetaceans, with the highest levels of diversity observed in areas characterized by high levels of primary production and high bathymetric variability and gradient. This collective work underlines the importance of data sharing to deepen our knowledge on marine fauna at the scale of the whole Mediterranean Sea and encourages greater efforts in the networking process, also to accomplish the requirements of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, with particular reference to Descriptor 1: biological diversity is maintained. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Conservation in Mediterranean Sea)
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19 pages, 2523 KiB  
Article
Reproductive Behaviours and Potentially Associated Sounds of the Mottled Grouper Mycteroperca rubra: Implications for Conservation
by Elena Desiderà, Carlotta Mazzoldi, Augusto Navone, Pieraugusto Panzalis, Cédric Gervaise, Paolo Guidetti and Lucia Di Iorio
Diversity 2022, 14(5), 318; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14050318 - 21 Apr 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1919
Abstract
Most grouper species worldwide are threatened by overfishing. Effective marine protected areas (MPAs) are known to enable population recovery, and consideration of vulnerable species’ reproductive behaviours is fundamental to monitoring and management plans. Many groupers produce sounds associated with reproductive behaviours. Recording these [...] Read more.
Most grouper species worldwide are threatened by overfishing. Effective marine protected areas (MPAs) are known to enable population recovery, and consideration of vulnerable species’ reproductive behaviours is fundamental to monitoring and management plans. Many groupers produce sounds associated with reproductive behaviours. Recording these sounds helps to locate spawning sites and improve management efforts to ensure reproduction and viability. This study focuses on a poorly studied yet likely vulnerable grouper species, Mycteroperca rubra, providing novel insights into its reproductive biology by combining underwater visual census surveys, direct visual observations and passive acoustic monitoring within a Mediterranean MPA during two consecutive summers (2017 and 2018). Results indicate that M. rubra individuals were more abundant and larger at one of the protected study sites, where they also occasionally formed unusual aggregations (<30 individuals), likely for spawning. These aggregations and the observation of courtship behaviours suggest that M. rubra spawns in the surroundings of this study site. Moreover, grouper-like unknown sounds were recorded exclusively at this site, suggesting they are associated with M. rubra courtship behaviours. Therefore, this study provides a basis for validating M. rubra sound production and supports the monitoring of its spawning sites via passive acoustics to improve MPA conservation effectiveness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Conservation in Mediterranean Sea)
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17 pages, 2129 KiB  
Article
Data-Driven Recommendations for Establishing Threshold Values for the NIS Trend Indicator in the Mediterranean Sea
by Marika Galanidi and Argyro Zenetos
Diversity 2022, 14(1), 57; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14010057 - 15 Jan 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2206
Abstract
In the present work, we analysed time series data on the introduction of new non-indigenous species (NIS) in the Mediterranean between 1970 and 2017, aiming to arrive at recommendations concerning the reference period and provisional threshold values for the NIS trend indicator. We [...] Read more.
In the present work, we analysed time series data on the introduction of new non-indigenous species (NIS) in the Mediterranean between 1970 and 2017, aiming to arrive at recommendations concerning the reference period and provisional threshold values for the NIS trend indicator. We employed regression analysis and breakpoint structural analysis. Our results confirm earlier findings that the reference conditions differ for the four Mediterranean subregions, and support a shortening of the reporting cycle from six to three years, with a two-year time lag for the ensuing assessment. Excluding Lessepsian fishes and parasites, the reference period, defined as the most recent time segment with stable mean new NIS values, was estimated as 1997–2017 for the eastern Mediterranean, 2012–2017 for the central Mediterranean, 2000–2017 for the Adriatic and 1970–2017 for the western Mediterranean. These findings are interpreted primarily on the basis of a basin scale temperature regime shift in the late 1990s, shifts in driving forces such as shellfish culture, and as a result of intensified research efforts and citizen scientist initiatives targeting NIS in the last decade. The threshold values, i.e., the three-year average new NIS values during the reference period, are indicative and will ultimately depend on the choice of species and pathways to be used in the calculations. This is discussed through the prism of target setting in alignment with specific management objectives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Conservation in Mediterranean Sea)
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21 pages, 3773 KiB  
Article
Recovery Signals of Rhodoliths Beds since Bottom Trawling Ban in the SCI Menorca Channel (Western Mediterranean)
by Maria Teresa Farriols, Camille Irlinger, Francesc Ordines, Desirée Palomino, Elena Marco-Herrero, Javier Soto-Navarro, Gabriel Jordà, Sandra Mallol, David Díaz, Natalia Martínez-Carreño, Julio A. Díaz, Ulla Fernandez-Arcaya, Sergi Joher, Sergio Ramírez-Amaro, Nuria R. de la Ballina, Juan-Tomás Vázquez and Enric Massutí
Diversity 2022, 14(1), 20; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14010020 - 29 Dec 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1971
Abstract
One of the objectives of the LIFE IP INTEMARES project is to assess the impact of bottom trawling on the vulnerable benthic habitats of the circalittoral bottoms of the Menorca Channel (western Mediterranean), designated a Site of Community Importance (SCI) within the Natura [...] Read more.
One of the objectives of the LIFE IP INTEMARES project is to assess the impact of bottom trawling on the vulnerable benthic habitats of the circalittoral bottoms of the Menorca Channel (western Mediterranean), designated a Site of Community Importance (SCI) within the Natura 2000 network. The present study compares the epibenthic communities of four areas, subjected to different bottom trawl fishing intensity levels. The assignment of fishing effort levels was based on the fishing effort distribution in the area calculated from Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) data and the existence of two Fishing Protected Zones in the Menorca Channel. Biological samples were collected from 39 beam trawl stations, sampled during a scientific survey on April 2019. We compare the diversity, composition, and density of the epibenthic flora and fauna, together with the rhodoliths coverage and the morphology of the main species of rhodoliths of four areas subjected to different levels of bottom trawl fishing effort, including one that has never been impacted by trawling. Our results have shown negative impacts of bottom trawling on rhodoliths beds and the first signals of their recovery in areas recently closed to this fishery, which indicate that this is an effective measure for the conservation of this habitat of special interest and must be included in the management plan required to declare the Menorca Channel as a Special Area of Conservation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Conservation in Mediterranean Sea)
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16 pages, 3856 KiB  
Article
Can We Avoid Tacit Trade-Offs between Flexibility and Efficiency in Systematic Conservation Planning? The Mediterranean Sea as a Case Study
by Sabrine Drira, Frida Ben Rais Lasram, Tarek Hattab, Yunne-Jai Shin, Amel Ben Rejeb Jenhani and François Guilhaumon
Diversity 2022, 14(1), 9; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14010009 - 24 Dec 2021
Viewed by 2338
Abstract
Species distribution models (SDMs) provide robust inferences about species-specific site suitability and are increasingly used in systematic conservation planning (SCP). SDMs are subjected to intrinsic uncertainties, and conservation studies have generally overlooked these. The integration of SDM uncertainties in conservation solutions requires the [...] Read more.
Species distribution models (SDMs) provide robust inferences about species-specific site suitability and are increasingly used in systematic conservation planning (SCP). SDMs are subjected to intrinsic uncertainties, and conservation studies have generally overlooked these. The integration of SDM uncertainties in conservation solutions requires the development of a suitable optimization algorithm. Exact optimization algorithms grant efficiency to conservation solutions, but most of their implementations generate a single binary and indivisible solution. Therefore, without variation in their parameterization, they provide low flexibility in the implementation of conservation solutions by stakeholders. Contrarily, heuristic algorithms provide such flexibility, by generating large amounts of sub-optimal solutions. As a consequence, efficiency and flexibility are implicitly linked in conservation applications: mathematically efficient solutions provide less flexibility, and the flexible solutions provided by heuristics are sub-optimal. To avoid this trade-off between flexibility and efficiency in SCP, we propose a reserve-selection framework, based on exact optimization combined with a post-selection of SDM outputs. This reserve-selection framework provides flexibility and addresses the efficiency and representativeness of conservation solutions. To exemplify the approach, we analyzed an experimental design, crossing pre- and post-selection of SDM outputs versus heuristics and exact mathematical optimizations. We used the Mediterranean Sea as a biogeographical template for our analyses, integrating the outputs of eight SDM techniques for 438 fish species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Conservation in Mediterranean Sea)
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71 pages, 8766 KiB  
Article
Improving Scientific Knowledge of Mallorca Channel Seamounts (Western Mediterranean) within the Framework of Natura 2000 Network
by Enric Massutí, Olga Sánchez-Guillamón, Maria Teresa Farriols, Desirée Palomino, Aida Frank, Patricia Bárcenas, Beatriz Rincón, Natalia Martínez-Carreño, Stefanie Keller, Carmina López-Rodríguez, Julio A. Díaz, Nieves López-González, Elena Marco-Herrero, Ulla Fernandez-Arcaya, Maria Valls, Sergio Ramírez-Amaro, Francesca Ferragut, Sergi Joher, Francisco Ordinas and Juan-Tomás Vázquez
Diversity 2022, 14(1), 4; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14010004 - 22 Dec 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3952
Abstract
The scientific exploration of Mallorca Channel seamounts (western Mediterranean) is improving the knowledge of the Ses Olives (SO), Ausias March (AM), and Emile Baudot (EB) seamounts for their inclusion in the Natura 2000 network. The aims are to map and characterize benthic species [...] Read more.
The scientific exploration of Mallorca Channel seamounts (western Mediterranean) is improving the knowledge of the Ses Olives (SO), Ausias March (AM), and Emile Baudot (EB) seamounts for their inclusion in the Natura 2000 network. The aims are to map and characterize benthic species and habitats by means of a geological and biological multidisciplinary approach: high-resolution acoustics, sediment and rock dredges, beam trawl, bottom trawl, and underwater imagery. Among the seamounts, 15 different morphological features were differentiated, highlighting the presence of 4000 pockmarks, which are seafloor rounded depressions indicators of focused fluid flow escapes, usually gas and/or water, from beneath the seabed sediments. So far, a total of 547 species or taxa have been inventoried, with sponges, fishes, mollusks, and crustaceans the most diverse groups including new taxa and new geographical records. Up to 29 categories of benthic habitats have been found, highlighting those included in the Habitats Directive: maërl beds on the summits of AM and EB, pockmarks around the seamounts and coral reefs in their rocky escarpments as well as fields of Isidella elongata on sedimentary bathyal bottoms. Trawling is the main demersal fishery developed around SO and AM, which are targeted to deep water crustaceans: Parapenaeus longirostris, Nephrops norvegicus, and Aristeus antennatus. This study provides scientific information for the proposal of the Mallorca Channel seamounts as a Site of Community Importance and for its final declaration as a Special Area of Conservation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Conservation in Mediterranean Sea)
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15 pages, 6774 KiB  
Article
Temporal and Spatial Variations of Geodia cydonium (Jameson) (Porifera, Demospongiae) in the Mediterranean Confined Environments
by Maria Mercurio, Cataldo Pierri, Frine Cardone and Giuseppe Corriero
Diversity 2021, 13(12), 615; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d13120615 - 25 Nov 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1933
Abstract
Confined marine environments are particularly susceptible to climate change and anthropic pressures. Indeed, the long-term monitoring of benthic assemblages in these environments allows us to understand the direction of changes over time. The demosponge Geodia cydonium is a suitable study case, since it [...] Read more.
Confined marine environments are particularly susceptible to climate change and anthropic pressures. Indeed, the long-term monitoring of benthic assemblages in these environments allows us to understand the direction of changes over time. The demosponge Geodia cydonium is a suitable study case, since it is widely represented in many Mediterranean environments, while being a long-living and important habitat-forming species. Here, we report the results of a descriptive study on temporal and spatial variations of this demosponge in three semi-enclosed environments along the Italian coast: Marsala Lagoon, Porto Cesareo Bay, and Mar Piccolo of Taranto. At Marsala and Porto Cesareo, the study compares the present data with those reported by the literature at the end of the 1990s. Caused by the modification of its preferential habitats, the data indicated the loss and a remarkable regression of this species at Porto Cesareo and Marsala, respectively. In addition, we hypothesized that the increase in severe weather phenomena in the small Bay of Porto Cesareo recorded during the last 20 years may have had a marked impact on water mass, thus affecting the sponge assemblages. At Taranto, despite a remarkable environmental degradation, G. cydonium has appeared stable and persistent in the last 45 years, thus representing one of the richest and most well-preserved populations in the Mediterranean Sea. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Conservation in Mediterranean Sea)
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30 pages, 3175 KiB  
Article
Biodiversity Management in a Mediterranean National Park: The Long, Winding Path from a Species-Centred to an Ecosystem-Centred Approach
by Charles-François Boudouresque, Alain Barcelo, Aurélie Blanfuné, Thomas Changeux, Gilles Martin, Frédéric Médail, Michèle Perret-Boudouresque, Philippe Ponel, Sandrine Ruitton, Isabelle Taupier-Letage and Thierry Thibaut
Diversity 2021, 13(11), 594; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d13110594 - 19 Nov 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3059
Abstract
The Port-Cros National Park (PCNP), established in 1963, was one of the earliest terrestrial and marine parks in the Mediterranean Sea. From 2012, it engaged in a major redefinition and extension of its territory (N-PCNP—New Port-Cros National Park). This case is particularly interesting [...] Read more.
The Port-Cros National Park (PCNP), established in 1963, was one of the earliest terrestrial and marine parks in the Mediterranean Sea. From 2012, it engaged in a major redefinition and extension of its territory (N-PCNP—New Port-Cros National Park). This case is particularly interesting insofar as the protected area has been competently and efficiently managed since its creation, and protection and management measures have been strictly implemented: in the Mediterranean, the PCNP has often been considered as a benchmark. Here, we critically analyse almost 60 years of the management of the biodiversity and the human uses, with their share of successes and failures, certain operations which are today regarded as errors, and a doctrine today of a priori non-interventionism, in contrast to the doctrine in vogue in the early years. Of particular interest is the change in outlook with regard to actions favouring flagship species, such as building a tower for bats, setting up artificial nests for seabirds, and constructing an artificial reef at sea. The question of the natural arrival of the wild boar, a native species, and the hostility of the public and some species-centred scientists, is particularly instructive. We analyse these changes in the light of the ongoing trends in concepts in ecology and nature conservation, and the shift from a species-centred to an ecosystem-centred approach. It is worth emphasizing that a critical review of almost 60 years of management is a very rare exercise in a national park anywhere in the world. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Conservation in Mediterranean Sea)
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18 pages, 851 KiB  
Article
The Natural Capital Value of the Seagrass Posidonia oceanica in the North-Western Mediterranean
by Ilaria Rigo, Chiara Paoli, Giulia Dapueto, Christine Pergent-Martini, Gerard Pergent, Alice Oprandi, Monica Montefalcone, Carlo Nike Bianchi, Carla Morri and Paolo Vassallo
Diversity 2021, 13(10), 499; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d13100499 - 15 Oct 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2481
Abstract
Posidonia oceanica is an endemic Mediterranean seagrass used as a ‘biological quality element’ in monitoring programmes of the EU Water Framework Directive, providing information about coastal ecosystems status. The regression of P. oceanica meadows caused a growing interest among policy makers to assess [...] Read more.
Posidonia oceanica is an endemic Mediterranean seagrass used as a ‘biological quality element’ in monitoring programmes of the EU Water Framework Directive, providing information about coastal ecosystems status. The regression of P. oceanica meadows caused a growing interest among policy makers to assess the value of seagrasses and to increase their protection. An evaluation of P. oceanica meadows located in the Ligurian-Provençal basin (NW Mediterranean) through a biophysical approach is here developed. Six meadows located in Liguria (Italy) and Corsica (France) were investigated by applying the emergy analysis to assess the natural capital (NC) stocked by leaves and rhizomes components. Results highlighted the importance of carrying out an analysis of the variations in the NC value in both components: rhizomes defined the growth stage and the capacity to store NC over time; leaves provided information on the variability due to disturbances in the water column. Emergy analysis allows defining the NC, in terms of resources needed to maintain the meadows and to provide services to coastal communities. This research is inserted into the effort of incorporating the NC evaluation into marine planning and decision making to achieve nature conservation goals, while ensuring the sustainable exploitation of marine resources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Conservation in Mediterranean Sea)
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13 pages, 2291 KiB  
Article
Assessing Spatial and Temporal Trends in a Mediterranean Fish Assemblage Structure
by Michel Marengo, Laura Iborra, Michèle Leduc, Pierre Lejeune, Pierre Boissery and Sylvie Gobert
Diversity 2021, 13(8), 368; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d13080368 - 09 Aug 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1940
Abstract
Coastal fishes are not only valuable elements of marine biodiversity, but they also play an important ecological role in the functioning of coastal ecosystems: food resource, transfer of nutrients, predators. Therefore, data on the compositions of fish assemblages are of great importance. The [...] Read more.
Coastal fishes are not only valuable elements of marine biodiversity, but they also play an important ecological role in the functioning of coastal ecosystems: food resource, transfer of nutrients, predators. Therefore, data on the compositions of fish assemblages are of great importance. The objectives of the present study were to (i) define the faunistic characteristics of a typical fish community on the Mediterranean coast; (ii) investigate spatiotemporal changes in fish assemblages. Based on a set of indices (Fast protocol) and a long-term data set (6 years, 612 visual counts, 154 h of diving), changes in coastal fish communities were analyzed. Our results indicated that there was a significant shift in fish community structure, with a general decline of the calculated indices. In our study, part of the observed variability in fish assemblage structure could be due to different factors as site location and sampled year. The changes in the fish assemblages associated with inter-annual fluctuations observed in this study also provide important insights into how fish communities may change under environmental and anthropogenic influences. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Conservation in Mediterranean Sea)
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15 pages, 3556 KiB  
Article
Mediterranean Red Macro Algae Mats as Habitat for High Abundances of Serpulid Polychaetes
by Felix I. Rossbach, Edoardo Casoli, Milan Beck and Christian Wild
Diversity 2021, 13(6), 265; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d13060265 - 11 Jun 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2846
Abstract
The Mediterranean Sea harbors more than 17,000 eukaryotic marine species, with several ecosystems recognized as biodiversity hotspots, such as Posidonia oceanica meadows. Recent research indicates that benthic mats formed by the fleshy red alga Phyllophora crispa are also associated with high species richness. [...] Read more.
The Mediterranean Sea harbors more than 17,000 eukaryotic marine species, with several ecosystems recognized as biodiversity hotspots, such as Posidonia oceanica meadows. Recent research indicates that benthic mats formed by the fleshy red alga Phyllophora crispa are also associated with high species richness. Among key groups found in these mats are sessile polychaetes, which live as epiphytes on the red algae thalli. Knowledge of abundance, species richness, and spatial variation of polychaetes associated with these habitats is still scarce. We carried out a comparative assessment focusing on serpulid polychaetes within samples from P. crispa mats and neighboring P. oceanica meadows at six different sampling sites around Giglio Island (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy). A total of 17 serpulid taxa were identified. The abundance of serpulids (5665 individuals m−2 of P. crispa mat) were similar to neighboring P. oceanica meadows (2304 individuals m−2 leaves and 5890 individuals m−2 shoots). The number of serpulid taxa was significantly higher in P. crispa mats (average 6.63 ± 1.32 taxa) compared to P. oceanica beds (average 1.56 ± 0.63 and 1.84 ± 1.04 taxa in leaves and shoots, respectively). Within habitat type, there were no significant differences in species richness between sites. The most abundant species found was Josephella marenzelleri (61% of individuals), while Vermiliopsis spp. and Bathyvermilia sp. were exclusively found in P. crispa samples. Our results highlight that P. crispa mats host an exceptional diversity and that these habitats should be included in conservation strategies. Further research should focus on the significance of other important taxonomic groups within these mats and evaluate the distribution of P. crispa in different regions of the Mediterranean Sea. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Conservation in Mediterranean Sea)
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24 pages, 2160 KiB  
Article
Inventory and Geographical Affinities of Algerian Cumacea, Isopoda, Mysida, Lophogastrida and Tanaidacea (Crustacea Peracarida)
by Ali Bakalem, Jean-Philippe Pezy and Jean-Claude Dauvin
Diversity 2021, 13(6), 221; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d13060221 - 21 May 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2471
Abstract
This study records the number of Peracarida (Cumacea, Isopoda, Mysida, Lophogastrida and Tanaidacea) from Algerian coastal waters. A total of 170 species are reported with the highest richness observed in the Isopoda (71 species), then the Cumacea with 43 species, the Mysida and [...] Read more.
This study records the number of Peracarida (Cumacea, Isopoda, Mysida, Lophogastrida and Tanaidacea) from Algerian coastal waters. A total of 170 species are reported with the highest richness observed in the Isopoda (71 species), then the Cumacea with 43 species, the Mysida and Tanaidacea with 27 species each and the Lophogastrida with only two species. The diversity of Peracarida in Algeria is high, corresponding to 60% of the species recorded for the Mediterranean Sea. A geographical analysis of the distribution of the species shows that the Algerian fauna has a close similarity with taxa reported from both the European and African coasts of the Atlantic Ocean. This reflects the influence of Atlantic waters along the North African coasts extending from Morocco to Tunisia in the south of the Mediterranean Sea, which is related to the connection via the Strait of Gibraltar. For the Algerian coasts only five Peracarida species may be considered as Non-Indigenous Species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Conservation in Mediterranean Sea)
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11 pages, 933 KiB  
Article
Animal Forest Mortality: Following the Consequences of a Gorgonian Coral Loss on a Mediterranean Coralligenous Assemblage
by Luigi Piazzi, Fabrizio Atzori, Nicoletta Cadoni, Maria Francesca Cinti, Francesca Frau, Arianna Pansini, Federico Pinna, Patrizia Stipcich and Giulia Ceccherelli
Diversity 2021, 13(3), 133; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d13030133 - 19 Mar 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2748
Abstract
In this work, the consequences of a local gorgonian coral mortality on the whole coralligenous assemblage were studied. A Before/After-Control/Impact sampling design was used: the structure of the coralligenous assemblage was compared before and after the gorgonian mortality event at the mortality site [...] Read more.
In this work, the consequences of a local gorgonian coral mortality on the whole coralligenous assemblage were studied. A Before/After-Control/Impact sampling design was used: the structure of the coralligenous assemblage was compared before and after the gorgonian mortality event at the mortality site and two control sites. At the mortality site, a relevant decrease in alpha and beta diversity occurred, with a shift from a stratified assemblage characterized by gorgonians and other invertebrates to an assemblage dominated by algal turfs; conversely, neither significant variations of the structure nor decrease in biodiversity were observed at the control sites. The assemblage shift involved the main taxa in different times: in autumn 2018, a large proportion of the plexaurid coral Paramuricea clavata died, but no significant changes were observed in the structure of the remaining assemblage. Then, in autumn 2019, algal turfs increased significantly and, one year later, the abundance of the gorgonian Eunicella cavolini and bryozoans collapsed. Although the mechanisms of the assemblage shift following gorgonian loss will remain uncertain and a cause-effect relationship cannot be derived, results suggest the need for detecting signs of gorgonian forests stress in monitoring programs, which should be considered early indicators of their condition. in the coralligenous monitoring programs for detecting any sign of gorgonian forests stress which should be considered an early indicator of the assemblage condition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Conservation in Mediterranean Sea)
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13 pages, 2115 KiB  
Article
Long Term Interactions of Native and Invasive Species in a Marine Protected Area Suggest Complex Cascading Effects Challenging Conservation Outcomes
by Charalampos Dimitriadis, Ivoni Fournari-Konstantinidou, Laurent Sourbès, Drosos Koutsoubas and Stelios Katsanevakis
Diversity 2021, 13(2), 71; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d13020071 - 09 Feb 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3269
Abstract
Understanding the interactions among invasive species, native species and marine protected areas (MPAs), and the long-term regime shifts in MPAs is receiving increased attention, since biological invasions can alter the structure and functioning of the protected ecosystems and challenge conservation efforts. Here we [...] Read more.
Understanding the interactions among invasive species, native species and marine protected areas (MPAs), and the long-term regime shifts in MPAs is receiving increased attention, since biological invasions can alter the structure and functioning of the protected ecosystems and challenge conservation efforts. Here we found evidence of marked modifications in the rocky reef associated biota in a Mediterranean MPA from 2009 to 2019 through visual census surveys, due to the presence of invasive species altering the structure of the ecosystem and triggering complex cascading effects on the long term. Low levels of the populations of native high-level predators were accompanied by the population increase and high performance of both native and invasive fish herbivores. Subsequently the overgrazing and habitat degradation resulted in cascading effects towards the diminishing of the native and invasive invertebrate grazers and omnivorous benthic species. Our study represents a good showcase of how invasive species can coexist or exclude native biota and at the same time regulate or out-compete other established invaders and native species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Conservation in Mediterranean Sea)
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22 pages, 35749 KiB  
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Biodiversity Monitoring in Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas: Scientific and Methodological Challenges
by Carlo Nike Bianchi, Annalisa Azzola, Silvia Cocito, Carla Morri, Alice Oprandi, Andrea Peirano, Sergio Sgorbini and Monica Montefalcone
Diversity 2022, 14(1), 43; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14010043 - 10 Jan 2022
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 5440
Abstract
Biodiversity is a portmanteau word to indicate the variety of life at all levels from genes to ecosystems, but it is often simplistically equated to species richness; the word ecodiversity has thus been coined to address habitat variety. Biodiversity represents the core of [...] Read more.
Biodiversity is a portmanteau word to indicate the variety of life at all levels from genes to ecosystems, but it is often simplistically equated to species richness; the word ecodiversity has thus been coined to address habitat variety. Biodiversity represents the core of the natural capital, and as such needs to be quantified and followed over time. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a major tool for biodiversity conservation at sea. Monitoring of both species and habitat diversity in MPAs is therefore mandatory and must include both inventory and periodic surveillance activities. In the case of inventories, the ideal would be to census all species and all habitats, but while the latter goal can be within reach, the former seems unattainable. Species inventory should be commeasured to investigation effort, while habitat inventory should be based on mapping. Both inventories may profit from suitability spatial modelling. Periodic surveillance actions should privilege conspicuous species and priority habitats. Efficient descriptor taxa and ecological indices are recommended to evaluate environmental status. While it seems obvious that surveillance activities should be carried out with regular recurrence, diachronic inventories and mapping are rarely carried out. Time series are of prime importance to detect marine ecosystem change even in the absence of direct human impacts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Conservation in Mediterranean Sea)
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