1
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Seixas S, Parrinha J, Gomes P, Bessa F. Incorporation of abandoned and lost fishing gear into the structure of Dendrophyllia ramea in the Atlantic coast of Portugal. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 202:116302. [PMID: 38593712 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116302] [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: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Plastic pollution poses global and societal concerns, especially from discarded fishing gear, threatening seabed environments like coral reefs. This study examines the incorporation of lost and/or abandoned fishing gear - specifically synthetic lines, and filaments - into the structure of orange tree coral, Dendrophyllia ramea along the coast of Portugal, in the North-East Atlantic Ocean. The specimens were inadvertently captured by local fishers (Sines and Cascais), with 6 % showing filaments inside their structure, raising questions about their potential impact on coral health. We discuss the implications of understanding the interactions between plastics, fishing gear, and corals, which is important for developing conservation strategies. We address the need for improved of measures aimed at reducing the impact of fishing gear on corals, emphasizing the importance of endorsing biodegradable fishing materials and supporting lost gear retrieval initiatives. Furthermore, we emphasize the urgent need to communicate these issues to both fishers and stakeholders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sónia Seixas
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal; Universidade Aberta, Rua Escola Politécnica, 147, 1269-001 Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Joaquim Parrinha
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal; ECOALGA - Agricultura Subaquática Sociedade Unipessoal Lda., Porto Covo, Portugal
| | - Pedro Gomes
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Portugal
| | - Filipa Bessa
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
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2
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Bilan M, Gori A, Grinyó J, Biel-Cabanelas M, Puigcerver-Segarra X, Santín A, Piraino S, Rossi S, Puig P. Vulnerability of six cold-water corals to sediment resuspension from bottom trawling fishing. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 196:115423. [PMID: 37862847 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115423] [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: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Bottom trawling can significantly affect benthic communities, directly through immediate removal of sessile organisms and indirectly through sediment resuspension. Submarine canyons, often surrounded by fishing grounds, are important habitats for cold-water corals (CWC). Vulnerability of CWCs to increased suspended sediment concentration (SSC) is key to understanding the severity of bottom trawling effects on those communities. Here we show survival, growth, and physiological response of six CWCs from a Mediterranean submarine canyon (Dendrophyllia cornigera, Desmophyllum dianthus, Desmophyllum pertusum, Madrepora oculata, Leiopathes glaberrima and Muriceides lepida), exposed to a long-term, aquarium-based sedimentary disturbance experiment. Compared to cup coral and octocoral, which did not exhibit symptoms of distress, our data indicate that colonial scleractinian corals and black coral, which experienced substantial polyp mortality in enhanced SSC treatments, are more vulnerable. Indirect impact of bottom trawling could thus contribute to structural simplification of CWC communities posing an additional stressor alongside with global climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meri Bilan
- Università del Salento, Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche e Ambientali, Campus Ecotekne, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
| | - Andrea Gori
- Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Grinyó
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 53, 1790, AB, Den Burg, the Netherlands
| | - Marina Biel-Cabanelas
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ICM-CSIC), Pg. Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xènia Puigcerver-Segarra
- Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andreu Santín
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ICM-CSIC), Pg. Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Stefano Piraino
- Università del Salento, Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche e Ambientali, Campus Ecotekne, 73100 Lecce, Italy; CoNISMa, Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare, Roma 00196, Italy; NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, 90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Sergio Rossi
- Università del Salento, Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche e Ambientali, Campus Ecotekne, 73100 Lecce, Italy; CoNISMa, Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare, Roma 00196, Italy; Instituto de Ciências do Mar, LABOMAR, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza 60165-081, Brazil
| | - Pere Puig
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ICM-CSIC), Pg. Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
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3
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Taviani M, Foglini F, Castellan G, Montagna P, McCulloch MT, Trotter JA. First assessment of anthropogenic impacts in submarine canyon systems off southwestern Australia. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 857:159243. [PMID: 36208760 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159243] [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: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
We assessed the anthropogenic impacts on southwestern Australian submarine canyons by quantifying macro-litter discovered during Remotely Operated Vehicle surveys. The study area encompasses the Bremer canyon systems and Perth Canyon. The categories of macro-litter identified by our study are plastic, metal, aluminium, glass, fabric, mixed, derelict fishing gear, and unclassified. The anthropogenic impacts in the canyons explored is minimal, especially in the Bremer canyon systems, whereas Perth Canyon has comparatively more macro-litter, presumably due to intense maritime traffic and nearby urban development. On a global scale, however, the environmental status of southwestern Australian canyons is relatively pristine. This analysis provides a baseline for the monitoring and enduring stewardship of these habitats where lush and diverse biota, including deep-sea corals, thrive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Taviani
- Istituto di Scienze Marine (ISMAR), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Bologna, Italy; Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Federica Foglini
- Istituto di Scienze Marine (ISMAR), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Bologna, Italy
| | - Giorgio Castellan
- Istituto di Scienze Marine (ISMAR), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Bologna, Italy.
| | - Paolo Montagna
- Istituto di Scienze Polari (ISP), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Bologna, Italy
| | - Malcom T McCulloch
- Oceans Graduate School and UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth 6009, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies, The University of Western Australia, Perth 6009, Australia
| | - Julie A Trotter
- Oceans Graduate School and UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth 6009, Australia
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4
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Subías-Baratau A, Sanchez-Vidal A, Di Martino E, Figuerola B. Marine biofouling organisms on beached, buoyant and benthic plastic debris in the Catalan Sea. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 175:113405. [PMID: 35152037 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Plastic debris provides long-lasting substrates for benthic organisms, thus acting as a potential vector for their dispersion. Its interaction with these colonizers is, however, still poorly known. This study examines fouling communities on beached, buoyant and benthic plastic debris in the Catalan Sea (NW Mediterranean), and characterizes the plastic type. We found 14 specimens belonging to two phyla (Annelida and Foraminifera) on microplastics, and more than 400 specimens belonging to 26 species in 10 phyla (Annelida, Arthropoda, Brachiopoda, Bryozoa, Chordata, Cnidaria, Echinodermata, Mollusca, Porifera and Sipuncula) on macroplastics. With 15 species, bryozoans are the most diverse group on plastics. We also report 17 egg cases of the catshark Scyliorhinus sp., and highlight the implications for their dispersal. Our results suggest that plastic polymers may be relevant for distinct fouling communities, likely due to their chemical structure and/or surface properties. Our study provides evidence that biofouling may play a role in the sinking of plastic debris, as the most abundant fouled plastics had lower densities than seawater, and all bryozoan species were characteristic of shallower depths than those sampled. More studies at low taxonomic level are needed in order to detect new species introduction and potential invasive species associated with plastic debris.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnau Subías-Baratau
- Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC), Pg. Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, Barcelona 08003, Spain; GRC Geociències Marines, Departament de Dinàmica de la Terra i de l'Oceà, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Sanchez-Vidal
- GRC Geociències Marines, Departament de Dinàmica de la Terra i de l'Oceà, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Emanuela Di Martino
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo - Blindern, P.O. Box 1172, Oslo 0318, Norway
| | - Blanca Figuerola
- Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC), Pg. Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, Barcelona 08003, Spain.
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5
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Paradis S, Lo Iacono C, Masqué P, Puig P, Palanques A, Russo T. Evidence of large increases in sedimentation rates due to fish trawling in submarine canyons of the Gulf of Palermo (SW Mediterranean). MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 172:112861. [PMID: 34523427 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112861] [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: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Bottom trawling in submarine canyons can affect their natural sedimentation rates, but studies addressing this issue are still scarce. In the Gulf of Palermo (SW Mediterranean), bottom trawling occurs on the slope around Oreto, Arenella and Eleuterio canyons. Analyses of excess 210Pb concentrations and grain size fractions in sediment cores from their canyon axes revealed that sedimentation rates and silt contents increased in all canyons in the 1980s, due to the expansion of more powerful trawlers (>500 HP) to deeper fishing grounds. In Eleuterio and Arenella canyons, sedimentation rates increased by an order of magnitude (0.1-1.4 cm·yr-1), whereas they increased less (0.1-0.7 cm·yr-1) in Oreto Canyon, since the enhanced trawling-derived sediment fluxes into this canyon are affected by sediment resuspension from trawling along its axis. Considering the global expansion of bottom trawling, we anticipate similar alterations in other trawled canyons, with ecological consequences that should be addressed by management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Paradis
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA) and Physics Department, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain; Geological Institute, Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Claudio Lo Iacono
- Marine Sciences Institute, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Pere Masqué
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA) and Physics Department, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain; School of Natural Sciences, Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia; International Atomic Energy Agency, 4a Quai Antoine 1er, 98000 Principality of Monaco, Monaco
| | - Pere Puig
- Marine Sciences Institute, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Albert Palanques
- Marine Sciences Institute, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Tommaso Russo
- Laboratory of Experimental Ecology and Aquaculture, Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome 00133, Italy
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6
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Angiolillo M, Gérigny O, Valente T, Fabri MC, Tambute E, Rouanet E, Claro F, Tunesi L, Vissio A, Daniel B, Galgani F. Distribution of seafloor litter and its interaction with benthic organisms in deep waters of the Ligurian Sea (Northwestern Mediterranean). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 788:147745. [PMID: 34134397 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The Mediterranean Sea is one of the most polluted marine basins and currently serves as a hotspot for marine litter. The seafloor represents the ultimate sink for most litter worldwide. Nevertheless, the knowledge about litter distribution and its interactions with benthic organisms in deep water is poorly understood. In 2018, we investigated spatial patterns of macro- and micro-litter distribution, and their effects on benthic communities in the Ligurian Sea. An oceanographic survey was carried out with a remotely operated vehicle and a multibeam echosounder on seven seamounts and canyons, at depths ranging from 350 to 2200 m. High litter accumulations were discovered at the mouth of the Monaco canyon, where estimated densities of up to 3.8 × 104 items km-2 were found at 2200 m depth. The highest abundance of urban litter items was found on the soft substrate, at the bottom of the deeper parts of the submarine canyons, which seem to act as conduits carrying litter from the shelf towards deeper areas. In contrast, fishing-related items were most abundant in the upper layer of the seamounts (300-600 m depths). Furthermore, more than 10% of the observed deep gorgonian colonies were entangled by lost longlines, indicating the detrimental effects of this fishing gear on benthic habitats. The discovery of new litter hotspots and the evaluation of how deep-sea species interact with litter contribute to increasing the knowledge about litter distribution and its effects on the deep ecosystem of the Mediterranean basin. All the observations recorded in this study showed substantial and irreversible changes in the deep and remote areas of marine environments, and these changes were found to be caused by humans. Our findings further stress the need for urgent and specific measures for the management of deep-sea pollution and the reduction of litter inputs in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Angiolillo
- Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Via Vitaliano Brancati, 60, 00144 Rome, Italy.
| | - Olivia Gérigny
- Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la MER (Ifremer), Centre Méditerranée, Z.P. de Brégaillon, 83507, La Seyne-sur-Mer and Bastia, France
| | - Tommaso Valente
- Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Via Vitaliano Brancati, 60, 00144 Rome, Italy; Sapienza University of Rome, Department of Environmental Biology, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Marie-Claire Fabri
- Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la MER (Ifremer), Centre Méditerranée, Z.P. de Brégaillon, 83507, La Seyne-sur-Mer and Bastia, France
| | - Eric Tambute
- Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Avenue Saint Martin, 98000 Monaco, Monaco
| | - Elodie Rouanet
- GIS Posidonie, Aix-Marseille University, OSU Pytheas, campus universitaire de Luminy, case 901, 13288 Marseille cedex 09, France
| | - Francoise Claro
- Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle-UMS PATRINAT, CP41, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Paris, France
| | - Leonardo Tunesi
- Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Via Vitaliano Brancati, 60, 00144 Rome, Italy
| | - Anne Vissio
- Secrétaire exécutif RAMOGE, Av. de l'Annonciade, 98000 Monaco, Monaco
| | - Boris Daniel
- Agence française pour la biodiversité, rue de la République 26, Marseille, France
| | - François Galgani
- Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la MER (Ifremer), Centre Méditerranée, Z.P. de Brégaillon, 83507, La Seyne-sur-Mer and Bastia, France
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7
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Bevilacqua S, Airoldi L, Ballesteros E, Benedetti-Cecchi L, Boero F, Bulleri F, Cebrian E, Cerrano C, Claudet J, Colloca F, Coppari M, Di Franco A, Fraschetti S, Garrabou J, Guarnieri G, Guerranti C, Guidetti P, Halpern BS, Katsanevakis S, Mangano MC, Micheli F, Milazzo M, Pusceddu A, Renzi M, Rilov G, Sarà G, Terlizzi A. Mediterranean rocky reefs in the Anthropocene: Present status and future concerns. ADVANCES IN MARINE BIOLOGY 2021; 89:1-51. [PMID: 34583814 DOI: 10.1016/bs.amb.2021.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Global change is striking harder and faster in the Mediterranean Sea than elsewhere, where high levels of human pressure and proneness to climate change interact in modifying the structure and disrupting regulative mechanisms of marine ecosystems. Rocky reefs are particularly exposed to such environmental changes with ongoing trends of degradation being impressive. Due to the variety of habitat types and associated marine biodiversity, rocky reefs are critical for the functioning of marine ecosystems, and their decline could profoundly affect the provision of essential goods and services which human populations in coastal areas rely upon. Here, we provide an up-to-date overview of the status of rocky reefs, trends in human-driven changes undermining their integrity, and current and upcoming management and conservation strategies, attempting a projection on what could be the future of this essential component of Mediterranean marine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanislao Bevilacqua
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy; Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare, Rome, Italy.
| | - Laura Airoldi
- Stazione Idrobiologica di Chioggia "Umberto D'Ancona", Dipartimento di Biologia, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Dipartimento di Beni Culturali, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy
| | | | - Lisandro Benedetti-Cecchi
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare, Rome, Italy; Dipartimento di Biologia, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Boero
- Dipartimento di Biologia, University of Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy; Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy; National Research Council, Institute for the Study of Anthropic Impact and Sustainability in the Marine Environment (CNR-IAS), Genoa, Italy
| | - Fabio Bulleri
- Dipartimento di Biologia, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Emma Cebrian
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes-CSIC, Girona, Spain
| | - Carlo Cerrano
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare, Rome, Italy; Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Joachim Claudet
- National Center for Scientific Research, PSL Université Paris, CRIOBE, USR 3278 CNRS-EPHE-UPVD, Maison des Océans, Paris, France
| | - Francesco Colloca
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Stazione Zoologica A. Dohrn-National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Rome, Italy
| | - Martina Coppari
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Antonio Di Franco
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Sicily, Palermo, Italy
| | - Simonetta Fraschetti
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare, Rome, Italy; Dipartimento di Biologia, University of Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy; Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Joaquim Garrabou
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Barcelona, Spain; Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO, Marseille, France
| | - Giuseppe Guarnieri
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare, Rome, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Guidetti
- National Research Council, Institute for the Study of Anthropic Impact and Sustainability in the Marine Environment (CNR-IAS), Genoa, Italy; Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica A. Dohrn-National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Naples, Italy
| | - Benjamin S Halpern
- National Center for Ecological Analysis & Synthesis, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, United States; Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
| | | | - Maria Cristina Mangano
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Sicily, Palermo, Italy
| | - Fiorenza Micheli
- Hopkins Marine Station and Center for Ocean Solutions, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, United States
| | - Marco Milazzo
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare, Rome, Italy; Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Pusceddu
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Monia Renzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy; Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare, Rome, Italy
| | - Gil Rilov
- National Institute of Oceanography, Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, Haifa, Israel
| | - Gianluca Sarà
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonio Terlizzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy; Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare, Rome, Italy; Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
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8
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Cold-Water Coral Habitat Mapping: Trends and Developments in Acquisition and Processing Methods. GEOSCIENCES 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/geosciences11010009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Cold-water coral (CWC) habitats are considered important centers of biodiversity in the deep sea, acting as spawning grounds and feeding area for many fish and invertebrates. Given their occurrence in remote parts of the planet, research on CWC habitats has largely been derived from remotely-sensed marine spatial data. However, with ever-developing marine data acquisition and processing methods and non-ubiquitous nature of infrastructure, many studies are completed in isolation resulting in large inconsistencies. Here, we present a concise review of marine remotely-sensed spatial raster data acquisition and processing methods in CWC habitats to highlight trends and knowledge gaps. Sixty-three studies that acquire and process marine spatial raster data since the year 2000 were reviewed, noting regional geographic location, data types (‘acquired data’) and how the data were analyzed (‘processing methods’). Results show that global efforts are not uniform with most studies concentrating in the NE Atlantic. Although side scan sonar was a popular mapping method between 2002 and 2012, since then, research has focused on the use of multibeam echosounder and photogrammetric methods. Despite advances in terrestrial mapping with machine learning, it is clear that manual processing methods are largely favored in marine mapping. On a broader scale, with large-scale mapping programs (INFOMAR, Mareano, Seabed2030), results from this review can help identify where more urgent research efforts can be concentrated for CWC habitats and other vulnerable marine ecosystems.
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9
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Pola L, Cerrano C, Pica D, Markantonatou V, Gambi MC, Calcinai B. Macrofaunal communities in the Gioia Canyon (Southern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy). THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/24750263.2020.1725665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- L. Pola
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica Delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - C. Cerrano
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica Delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - D. Pica
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica Delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - V. Markantonatou
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica Delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - M. C. Gambi
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Villa Dohrn-Benthic Ecology Center, Ischia, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Napoli, Italy
| | - B. Calcinai
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica Delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
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10
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Mallo M, Ziveri P, Reyes-García V, Rossi S. Historical record of Corallium rubrum and its changing carbon sequestration capacity: A meta-analysis from the North Western Mediterranean. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0223802. [PMID: 31851690 PMCID: PMC6919573 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0223802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 09/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There is a scarcity of long time-span and geographically wide research on the health status of Corallium rubrum, including limited research on its historical ecology and carbon sequestration capacity. Objectives To reconstruct the temporal trends of the most reported C. rubrum population parameters in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea and to determine the changes in total carbon sequestration by this species. Data sources Quantitative and qualitative, academic and grey documents were collected from scientific web browsers, scientific libraries, and requests to scientists. Study eligibility criteria Documents with original information of basal diameter, height and/or weight per colony, with a depth limit of 60 m in the Catalan and Ligurian Seas were analyzed. Synthesis methods We calculated yearly average values of C. rubrum biometric parameters, as well as estimated total weight, carbon flux, and carbon fixation in the structures of C. rubrum’s colonies. Results In both study areas, the values of the selected morphometric parameters for C. rubrum decreased until the 1990s, then increased from the 2000s, with average values surpassing the levels of the 1960s (Ligurian Sea) or reaching levels slightly lower than those of the 1980s (Catalan Sea). The difference in carbon sequestered between the oldest (1960s: Ligurian Sea; 1970s: Catalan Sea) and the lowest (1990s) biomass value of colonies is nearly double. Limitations Quantitative data previous to the 1990s are very limited. Information on recent recovery trends in C. rubrum parameters is concentrated in a few areas and biased towards colonies in marine protected areas, with scarce quantitative information from colonies in other areas. Conclusions The halt in the C. rubrum decreasing trend coincided with the exhaustion of tree-like colonies and the first recovery response due to effective protection measures in some areas. Nevertheless, C. rubrum climate change mitigation capacity through carbon sequestration can be drastically reduced from its potential in only a few decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Mallo
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
- * E-mail:
| | - Patrizia Ziveri
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Victoria Reyes-García
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sergio Rossi
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche e Ambientali (DiSTeBA), Università del Salento, Lecce, Italy
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Impact of Plastic Pollution on Marine Life in the Mediterranean Sea. THE HANDBOOK OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/698_2019_421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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12
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19 Occurrence and Biogeography of Mediterranean Cold-Water Corals. MEDITERRANEAN COLD-WATER CORALS: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-91608-8_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
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Bottom-trawling along submarine canyons impacts deep sedimentary regimes. Sci Rep 2017; 7:43332. [PMID: 28233856 PMCID: PMC5324136 DOI: 10.1038/srep43332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies highlight that fish trawling activities cause seafloor erosion, but the assessment of the remobilization of surface sediments and its relocation is still not well documented. These impacts were examined along the flanks and axes of three headless submarine canyons incised on the Barcelona continental margin, where trawling fleets have been operating for decades. Trawled grounds along canyon flanks presented eroded and highly reworked surface sediments resulting from the passage of heavy trawling gear. Sedimentation rates on the upper canyon axes tripled and quadrupled its natural (i.e. pre-industrialization) values after a substantial increase in total horsepower of the operating trawling fleets between 1960 s and 1970 s. These impacts affected the upper canyon reaches next to fishing grounds, where sediment resuspended by trawling can be transported towards the canyon axes. This study highlights that bottom trawling has the capacity to alter natural sedimentary environments by promoting sediment-starved canyon flanks, and by enhancing sedimentation rates along the contiguous axes, independently of canyons’ morphology. Considering the global mechanisation and offshore expansion of bottom trawling fisheries since the mid-20th century, these sedimentary alterations may occur in many trawled canyons worldwide, with further ecological impacts on the trophic status of these non-resilient benthic communities.
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