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Gragnolati M, Rolim FA, Pereira-Filho GH, Athayde ACS, Ciotti ÁM, Motta FS. Vertical structure of reef fish assemblages and light penetration reveal new boundaries of mesophotic ecosystems in the subtropical Southwestern Atlantic. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 198:106527. [PMID: 38688110 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
In the Southwest Atlantic, fisheries and in situ observations suggest that mesophotic reefs occur further south than has been reported in the literature, and a description of these subtropical regions is still lacking. We used Baited Remote Underwater stereo-Videos to explore unrevealed patterns in the vertical structure of fish assemblages on subtropical Atlantic reefs, contrasting shallow and mesophotic habitats. Our data on species turnover and light penetration reveal that in the subtropical Atlantic, the boundaries between shallow and mesophotic habitats occur at depths of 18 m, which is shallower than most previous studies have shown. Generalized additive mixed models identified different environmental and management factors as important predictor variables that explain distribution of fish assemblages' attributes. Besides adding new evidence about mesophotic limits, we described variations in the vertical structure of fish assemblages, providing important information for the description and conservation of mesophotic environments in subtropical regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maisha Gragnolati
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação Marinha (LABECMar), Instituto do Mar, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Dr. Carvalho de Mendonça, 144, 11070-100, Santos, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Fernanda A Rolim
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação Marinha (LABECMar), Instituto do Mar, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Dr. Carvalho de Mendonça, 144, 11070-100, Santos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Guilherme H Pereira-Filho
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação Marinha (LABECMar), Instituto do Mar, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Dr. Carvalho de Mendonça, 144, 11070-100, Santos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana Clara S Athayde
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação Marinha (LABECMar), Instituto do Mar, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Dr. Carvalho de Mendonça, 144, 11070-100, Santos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Áurea M Ciotti
- Aquarela Lab, Rodovia Manoel Hypólito do Rego, Km 131, 50 S/N, Centro de Biologia Marinha, Universidade de São Paulo, 11600-000, São Sebastião, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fabio S Motta
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação Marinha (LABECMar), Instituto do Mar, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Dr. Carvalho de Mendonça, 144, 11070-100, Santos, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Dellisanti W, Zhang Q, Ferrier-Pagès C, Kühl M. Contrasting effects of increasing dissolved iron on photosynthesis and O 2 availability in the gastric cavity of two Mediterranean corals. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17259. [PMID: 38699194 PMCID: PMC11064864 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Iron (Fe) plays a fundamental role in coral symbiosis, supporting photosynthesis, respiration, and many important enzymatic reactions. However, the extent to which corals are limited by Fe and their metabolic responses to inorganic Fe enrichment remains to be understood. We used respirometry, variable chlorophyll fluorescence, and O2 microsensors to investigate the impact of increasing Fe(III) concentrations (20, 50, and 100 nM) on the photosynthetic capacity of two Mediterranean coral species, Cladocora caespitosa and Oculina patagonica. While the bioavailability of inorganic Fe can rapidly decrease, we nevertheless observed significant physiological effects at all Fe concentrations. In C. caespitosa, exposure to 50 nM Fe(III) increased rates of respiration and photosynthesis, while the relative electron transport rate (rETR(II)) decreased at higher Fe(III) exposure (100 nM). In contrast, O. patagonica reduced respiration, photosynthesis rates, and maximum PSII quantum yield (Fv/Fm) across all iron enrichments. Both corals exhibited increased hypoxia (<50 µmol O2 L-1) within their gastric cavity at night when exposed to 50 and 100 nM Fe(III), leading to increased polyp contraction time and reduced O2 exchange with the surrounding water. Our results indicate that C. caespitosa, but not O. patagonica, might be limited in Fe for achieving maximal photosynthetic efficiency. Understanding the multifaceted role of iron in corals' health and their response to environmental change is crucial for effective coral conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter Dellisanti
- Department of Biology, Marine Biology Section, University of Copenhagen, Helsingør, Denmark
| | - Qingfeng Zhang
- Department of Biology, Marine Biology Section, University of Copenhagen, Helsingør, Denmark
| | - Christine Ferrier-Pagès
- Coral Ecophysiology Laboratory, Center Scientifique de Monaco, Principality of Monaco, Monaco
| | - Michael Kühl
- Department of Biology, Marine Biology Section, University of Copenhagen, Helsingør, Denmark
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3
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Gregorin C, Di Vito M, Roveta C, Pulido Mantas T, Gridelli S, Domenichelli F, Cilenti L, Vega Fernández T, Puce S, Musco L. Reduction of small-prey capture rate and collective predation in the bleached sea anemone Exaiptasiadiaphana. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 196:106435. [PMID: 38467089 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Cnidarians may dominate benthic communities, as in the case of coral reefs that foster biodiversity and provide important ecosystem services. Polyps may feed by predating mesozooplantkon and large motile prey, but many species further obtain autotrophic nutrients from photosymbiosis. Anthropogenic disturbance, such as the rise of seawater temperature and turbidity, can lead to the loss of symbionts, causing bleaching. Prolonged periods of bleaching can induce mortality events over vast areas. Heterotrophy may allow bleached cnidarians to survive for long periods of time. We tested the reinforcement of heterotrophic feeding of bleached polyps of Exaiptasia diaphana fed with both small zooplantkon and large prey, in order to evaluate if heterotrophy allows this species to compensate the reduction of autotrophy. Conversely to expected, heterotrophy was higher in unbleached polyps (+54% mesozooplankton prey and +11% large prey). The increase of heterotrophic intake may not be always used as a strategy to compensate autotrophic depletion in bleached polyps. Such a resilience strategy might be more species-specific than expected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Gregorin
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy; Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy
| | - Marica Di Vito
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Camilla Roveta
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Torcuato Pulido Mantas
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Stefano Gridelli
- Cattolica Aquarium, Piazzale Delle Nazioni 1/A, 47841 Cattolica, Italy
| | | | - Lucrezia Cilenti
- National Research Council -National Research Council, Institute of Sciences of Food Production (CNR-ISPA), Via Michele Protano, 71121 Foggia, Italy
| | - Tomás Vega Fernández
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy
| | - Stefania Puce
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Luigi Musco
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy; Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, Salento University, Via Lecce - Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy; NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Piazza Marina, 61 90133 Palermo, Italy.
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Kytinou E, Issaris Y, Sini M, Salomidi M, Katsanevakis S. ECOfast - An integrative ecological evaluation index for an ecosystem-based assessment of shallow rocky reefs. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 344:118323. [PMID: 37354588 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
The degradation of marine ecosystems is a growing concern worldwide, emphasizing the need for efficient tools to assess their ecological status. Herein, a novel ecosystem-based ecological evaluation index of shallow rocky reefs is introduced and tested in the Aegean and Ionian Seas (NE Mediterranean). The index focuses on a specific set of pre-selected species, including habitat-forming, key, commercially important, and non-indigenous species, across a wide range of trophic levels (1.00-4.53). Data acquisition is conducted through rapid non-destructive SCUBA diving surveys to assess all macroscopic food web components (macroalgae, invertebrates, and fish). Two versions of the index, ECOfast and ECOfast-NIS, were developed, each applying a different approach to account for the impact of non-indigenous species. In our case study, the correlations between the two versions of the index and sea surface temperature, protection status, occurrence of carnivorous fish, and non-indigenous herbivores were assessed through generalized additive models (GAMs). The assessment assigned 93% (ECOfast) or 96% (ECOfast-NIS) of the sites to a moderate to bad ecological status, indicating an alarming situation in the shallow rocky reefs of the NE Mediterranean. Sites evaluated as poor or bad were characterized by extensive coverage of ephemeral macroalgae, absence or minimal presence of large indigenous carnivorous fish, and complete absence of one to three out of five invertebrate functional trophic groups. The community composition of macroalgae, herbivorous species, and carnivorous fishes differed between the 5 m and 15 m depth zones. Surface temperature and carnivorous fish occurrence were the most important tested predictors of the ecological status of shallow rocky reefs. The best GAMs showed that the ECOfast score declined with sea surface temperature and increased with the occurrence of carnivorous fish; ECOfast-NIS declined with sea surface temperature and the occurrence of non-indigenous fish and increased with the occurrence of carnivorous fish. The non-destructive and integrative nature of this approach, its speed of data acquisition and analysis, and its capacity to account for highly mobile predatory fish and non-indigenous species render the ECOfast index a novel, robust, and valuable tool for assessing the ecological status of shallow rocky reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Kytinou
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of the Aegean, Lofos Panepistimiou, 81100, Mytilene, Greece; Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, 46.7 km Athens Sounio Ave., 19013, Anavyssos, Greece.
| | - Yiannis Issaris
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, 46.7 km Athens Sounio Ave., 19013, Anavyssos, Greece
| | - Maria Sini
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of the Aegean, Lofos Panepistimiou, 81100, Mytilene, Greece
| | - Maria Salomidi
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, 46.7 km Athens Sounio Ave., 19013, Anavyssos, Greece
| | - Stelios Katsanevakis
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of the Aegean, Lofos Panepistimiou, 81100, Mytilene, Greece
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Nikolaou A, Tsirintanis K, Rilov G, Katsanevakis S. Invasive Fish and Sea Urchins Drive the Status of Canopy Forming Macroalgae in the Eastern Mediterranean. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:763. [PMID: 37372048 DOI: 10.3390/biology12060763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Canopy-forming macroalgae, such as Cystoseira sensu lato, increase the three-dimensional complexity and spatial heterogeneity of rocky reefs, enhancing biodiversity and productivity in coastal areas. Extensive loss of canopy algae has been recorded in recent decades throughout the Mediterranean Sea due to various anthropogenic pressures. In this study, we assessed the biomass of fish assemblages, sea urchin density, and the vertical distribution of macroalgal communities in the Aegean and Levantine Seas. The herbivore fish biomass was significantly higher in the South Aegean and Levantine compared to the North Aegean. Very low sea urchin densities suggest local collapses in the South Aegean and the Levantine. In most sites in the South Aegean and the Levantine, the ecological status of macroalgal communities was low or very low at depths deeper than 2 m, with limited or no canopy algae. In many sites, canopy algae were restricted to a very narrow, shallow zone, where grazing pressure may be limited due to harsh hydrodynamic conditions. Using Generalized Linear Mixed Models, we demonstrated that the presence of canopy algae is negatively correlated with the biomass of the invasive Siganus spp. and sea urchins. The loss of Cystoseira s.l. forests is alarming, and urgent conservation actions are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athanasios Nikolaou
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Greece
| | | | - Gil Rilov
- National Institute of Oceanography, Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research (IOLR), Haifa 31080, Israel
- The Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, Marine Biology Department, University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa 31905, Israel
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Bevilacqua S, Boero F, De Leo F, Guarnieri G, Mačić V, Benedetti-Cecchi L, Terlizzi A, Fraschetti S. β-diversity reveals ecological connectivity patterns underlying marine community recovery: Implications for conservation. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023:e2867. [PMID: 37114630 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
As β-diversity can be seen as a proxy of ecological connections among species assemblages, modeling the decay of similarity in species composition at increasing distance may help elucidate spatial patterns of connectivity and local- to large-scale processes driving community assembly within a marine region. This, in turn, may provide invaluable information for setting ecologically coherent networks of marine protected areas (MPAs) in which protected communities are potentially interrelated and can mutually sustain against environmental perturbations. However, field studies investigating changes in β-diversity patterns at a range of spatial scales and in relation to disturbance are scant, limiting our understanding of how spatial ecological connections among marine communities may affect their recovery dynamics. We carried out a manipulative experiment simulating a strong physical disturbance on subtidal rocky reefs at several locations spanning >1000 km of coast in the Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea) and compared β-diversity patterns and decay of similarity with distance and time by current transport between undisturbed and experimentally disturbed macrobenthic assemblages to shed light on connectivity processes and scales involved in recovery. In contrast to the expectation that very local-scale processes, such as vegetative regrowth and larval supply from neighboring undisturbed assemblages, might be the major determinants of recovery in disturbed patches, we found that connectivity mediated by currents at larger spatial scales strongly contributed to shape community reassembly after disturbance. Across our study sites in the Adriatic Sea, β-diversity patterns suggested that additional protected sites that matched hotspots of propagule exchange could increase the complementarity and strengthen the ecological connectivity throughout the MPA network. More generally, conditional to habitat distribution and selection of sites of high conservation priority (e.g., biodiversity hotspots), setting network internode distance within 100-150 km, along with sizing no-take zones to cover at least 5 km of coast, would help enhance the potential connectivity of Mediterranean subtidal rocky reef assemblages from local to large scale. These results can help improve conservation planning to achieve the goals of promoting ecological connectivity within MPA networks and enhancing their effectiveness in protecting marine communities against rapidly increasing natural and anthropogenic disturbances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanislao Bevilacqua
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare, Rome, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Boero
- Istituto per lo Studio degli Impatti Antropici e Sostenibilità in Ambiente Marino (CNR-IAS), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Genoa, Italy
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco De Leo
- Istituto di Ricerca sugli Ecosistemi Terrestri (CNR-IRET), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Lecce, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Guarnieri
- Agenzia Regionale per la Prevenzione e la Protezione dell'Ambiente, Bari, Italy
| | - Vesna Mačić
- Institute of Marine Biology, University of Montenegro, Kotor, Montenegro
| | - Lisandro Benedetti-Cecchi
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare, Rome, Italy
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Antonio Terlizzi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare, Rome, Italy
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Simonetta Fraschetti
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare, Rome, Italy
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Mancuso FP, Giommi C, Mangano MC, Airoldi L, Helmuth B, Sarà G. Evenness, biodiversity, and ecosystem function of intertidal communities along the Italian coasts: Experimental short-term response to ambient and extreme air temperatures. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 858:160037. [PMID: 36356730 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Biodiversity can promote ecosystem functioning in both terrestrial and marine environments, emphasizing the necessity of biodiversity conservation in order to preserve critical ecosystem functions and associated services. However, the role of biodiversity in buffering ecosystem functioning under extreme events caused by climate change remains a major scientific issue, especially for intertidal systems experiencing stressors from both terrestrial and marine drivers. We performed a regional-scale field experiment along the Italian coast to investigate the response of unmanipulated intertidal communities (by using a natural biodiversity gradient) to low tide aerial exposure to both ambient and short-term extreme temperatures. We specifically investigated the relationship between Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning (BEF) using different biodiversity indexes (species richness, functional diversity and evenness) and the response of the intertidal communities' ecosystem functioning (community respiration rates). Furthermore, we investigated which other environmental variables could influence the BEF relationship. We show that evenness explained a greater variation in intertidal community ecosystem functioning under both temperature conditions. Species richness (the most often used diversity metric in BEF research) was unrelated to ecosystem functioning, while functional diversity was significantly related to respiration under ambient but not extreme temperatures. We highlight the importance of the short-term thermal history of the communities (measured as body temperature) in the BEF relationship as it was consistently identified as the best predictor or response under both temperature conditions. However, Chlorophyll a in seawater and variation in sea surface temperature also contributed to the BEF relationship under ambient but not under extreme conditions, showing that short-duration climate-driven events can overcome local physiological adaptations. Our findings support the importance of the BEF relationship in intertidal communities, implying that systems with more diverse and homogeneous communities may be able to mitigate the effects of extreme temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Paolo Mancuso
- Department of Earth and Marine Sciences (DiSTeM), University of Palermo, viale delle Scienze Ed. 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy; NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo 90133, Italy.
| | - Chiara Giommi
- Department of Earth and Marine Sciences (DiSTeM), University of Palermo, viale delle Scienze Ed. 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy; Department of Integrative Marine Ecology (EMI), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, CRIMAC, Calabria Marine Centre, Amendolara, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Mangano
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo 90133, Italy; Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Dipartimento Ecologia Marina Integrata, Sede Interdipartimentale della Sicilia, Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo (complesso Roosevelt), 90142 Palermo, Italy
| | - Laura Airoldi
- Department of Biology, Chioggia Hydrobiological Station Umberto D'Ancona, University of Padova, 30015 Chioggia, Italy; University of Bologna, Dipartimento di Beni Culturali & Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca per le Scienze Ambientali (CIRSA), UO CoNISMa, Via S. Alberto, 163, 48123 Ravenna, Italy
| | - Brian Helmuth
- Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, Nahant, MA 01908, USA
| | - Gianluca Sarà
- Department of Earth and Marine Sciences (DiSTeM), University of Palermo, viale delle Scienze Ed. 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy; NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo 90133, Italy
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Fabbrizzi E, Giakoumi S, De Leo F, Tamburello L, Chiarore A, Colletti A, Coppola M, Munari M, Musco L, Rindi F, Rizzo L, Savinelli B, Franzitta G, Grech D, Cebrian E, Verdura J, Bianchelli S, Mangialajo L, Nasto I, Sota D, Orfanidis S, Papadopoulou NK, Danovaro R, Fraschetti S. The challenge of setting restoration targets for macroalgal forests under climate changes. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 326:116834. [PMID: 36436438 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The process of site selection and spatial planning has received scarce attention in the scientific literature dealing with marine restoration, suggesting the need to better address how spatial planning tools could guide restoration interventions. In this study, for the first time, the consequences of adopting different restoration targets and criteria on spatial restoration prioritization have been assessed at a regional scale, including the consideration of climate changes. We applied the decision-support tool Marxan, widely used in systematic conservation planning on Mediterranean macroalgal forests. The loss of this habitat has been largely documented, with limited evidences of natural recovery. Spatial priorities were identified under six planning scenarios, considering three main restoration targets to reflect the objectives of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. Results show that the number of suitable sites for restoration is very limited at basin scale, and targets are only achieved when the recovery of 10% of regressing and extinct macroalgal forests is planned. Increasing targets translates into including unsuitable areas for restoration in Marxan solutions, amplifying the risk of ineffective interventions. Our analysis supports macroalgal forests restoration and provides guiding principles and criteria to strengthen the effectiveness of restoration actions across habitats. The constraints in finding suitable areas for restoration are discussed, and recommendations to guide planning to support future restoration interventions are also included.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Fabbrizzi
- University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy; Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Luigi Musco
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy; University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Fabio Rindi
- Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Lucia Rizzo
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy; Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council, Lecce, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Emma Cebrian
- Centre d'Estudios Avançats de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientìficas (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes, Spain; University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Jana Verdura
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, UMR 7035 ECOSEAS, Nice, France
| | | | | | - Ina Nasto
- University of Vlora "Ismail Qemali", Sheshi Pavaresia, Vlore, Albania
| | - Denada Sota
- University of Vlora "Ismail Qemali", Sheshi Pavaresia, Vlore, Albania
| | - Sotiris Orfanidis
- Fisheries Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization-Demeter, Kavala, Greece
| | | | - Roberto Danovaro
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy; Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Simonetta Fraschetti
- University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy; NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo 90133, Italy
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Marine Noise Effects on Juvenile Sparid Fish Change among Species and Developmental Stages. DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15010092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Marine noise is an emerging pollutant inducing a variety of negative impacts on many animal taxa, including fish. Fish population persistence and dynamics rely on the supply of early life stages, which are often very sensitive to disturbance. Impacts of marine noise pollution (MNP) on juvenile fish have rarely been investigated in temperate regions. This is particularly true for the Mediterranean Sea, which is considered as an MNP hotspot due to intensive maritime traffic. In this study, we investigate the relationship between MNP related to boat traffic and (i) assemblage structure and (ii) the density of juvenile fishes (post-settlers at different stages) belonging to the Sparidae family. We quantified MNP produced by boating at four coastal locations in the French Riviera (NW Mediterranean Sea) by linearly combining five variables into a ‘noise index’ (NI): (i) boat visitation, (ii) number of boat passages/hour, (iii) the instantaneous underwater noise levels of passing boats, (iv) continuous boat underwater noise levels and (v) duration of exposure to boat noise. Then, using the NI, we identified an MNP gradient. By using juvenile fish visual censuses (running a total of 1488 counts), we found that (i) the assemblage structure and (ii) the density patterns of three fish species (i.e., Diplodus sargus, D. puntazzo, D. vulgaris) changed along the MNP gradient. Specifically, the density of early D. sargus post-settlers was negatively related to MNP, while late post-settler densities of D. puntazzo and, less evidently, D. vulgaris tended to decrease more rapidly with decreasing MNP. Our findings suggest the following potential impacts of MNP on juvenile sparids related to coastal boat traffic: (i) idiosyncratic effects on density depending on the species and the developmental stage (early vs. late post-settlers); (ii) negative effects on recruitment, due to possible alteration of late post-settlement movement patterns.
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Orlando-Bonaca M, Trkov D, Klun K, Pitacco V. Diversity of Molluscan Assemblage in Relation to Biotic and Abiotic Variables in Brown Algal Forests. PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11162131. [PMID: 36015433 PMCID: PMC9415959 DOI: 10.3390/plants11162131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Canopy-forming macroalgae, mainly those belonging to the order Fucales, form the so-called brown algal forests, which are among the most productive assemblages in shallow coastal zones. Their vertical, branching canopies increase nearshore primary production, provide nursery areas for juvenile fish, and sustain understory assemblages of smaller algae and both sessile and vagile fauna. The majority of benthic invertebrates inhabiting these forests have larval stages that spend some time floating freely or swimming in the plankton. Therefore, canopy-forming macroalgae play an important role as species collectors related to larval supply and hydrodynamic processes. During the past several decades, brown algal forests have significantly reduced their extension and coverage in the Mediterranean basin, due to multiple interacting natural and anthropogenic pressures, with negative consequences also for the related fauna. The aim of this research was to examine how differences in macrophyte abundance and structure, as well as environmental variables, affect the associated molluscan communities in the shallow northern Adriatic Sea. Sampling sites with well-developed vegetation cover dominated by different canopy-forming species were selected in the shallow infralittoral belt of the northern Adriatic Sea in the spring–summer period of the years 2019 and 2020. Our results confirm the importance of algal forests for molluscan assemblage, with a total of 68 taxa of molluscs found associated with macrophytes. Gastropods showed the highest richness and abundance, followed by bivalves. Mollusc richness and diversity (in terms of biotic indices) were not related with the degree of development of canopy-forming species (in terms of total cover and total volume), nor with the ecological status of benthic macroalgae at different depths. On the contrary, the variability in molluscan taxa abundances was explained by some environmental variables, such as temperature, pH, light, and nitrates concentration.
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Doxa A, Almpanidou V, Katsanevakis S, Queirós AM, Kaschner K, Garilao C, Kesner-Reyes K, Mazaris AD. 4D marine conservation networks: Combining 3D prioritization of present and future biodiversity with climatic refugia. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:4577-4588. [PMID: 35583810 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Given the accelerating rate of biodiversity loss, the need to prioritize marine areas for protection represents a major conservation challenge. The three-dimensionality of marine life and ecosystems is an inherent element of complexity for setting spatial conservation plans. Yet, the confidence of any recommendation largely depends on shifting climate, which triggers a global redistribution of biodiversity, suggesting the inclusion of time as a fourth dimension. Here, we developed a depth-specific prioritization analysis to inform the design of protected areas, further including metrics of climate-driven changes in the ocean. Climate change was captured in this analysis by considering the projected future distribution of >2000 benthic and pelagic species inhabiting the Mediterranean Sea, combined with climatic stability and heterogeneity metrics of the seascape. We identified important areas based on both biological and climatic criteria, where conservation focus should be given in priority when designing a three-dimensional, climate-smart protected area network. We detected spatially concise, conservation priority areas, distributed around the basin, that protected marine areas almost equally across all depth zones. Our approach highlights the importance of deep sea zones as priority areas to meet conservation targets for future marine biodiversity, while suggesting that spatial prioritization schemes, that focus on a static two-dimensional distribution of biodiversity data, might fail to englobe both the vertical properties of species distributions and the fine and larger-scale impacts associated with climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aggeliki Doxa
- Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
- Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), Ν. Plastira 100, Vassilika Vouton, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Almpanidou
- Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | | | - Kristin Kaschner
- Department of Biometry and Environmental Systems Analysis, Albert-Ludwigs University, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | | | - Kathleen Kesner-Reyes
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Kiel, Germany
- Quantitative Aquatics, Los Baños, Philippines
| | - Antonios D Mazaris
- Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
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