No abstract

Once widespread throughout the Black and Mediterranean Seas and the coasts of north Africa, the Endangered Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus has disappeared throughout most of its original range. In Cyprus evidence suggests that the species became effectively extinct at the end of the th century. Following an increase of seal sightings around the island, a monitoring programme was established in  to evaluate the status of the species. During -, using field surveys, photographs from camera traps and an information network, we recorded an increasing number of seal sightings, and the birth of several pups, indicating the permanent presence of the species on the island. This is the first recorded reestablishment of a Mediterranean monk seal population in an area of its former range following near eradication.

Invasive aquatic plants can cause local losses of species diversity throughout the world and they can also contribute to water quality deterioration. Although widely studied elsewhere, little information exists about invasive aquatic plants and their impacts in China. This study summarizes the taxonomy, origin, vector of introduction, current distribution, and the ecological impacts of invasive aquatic plants in China. This study provides useful information for the management of freshwater habitats and suggests strategies for curtailing the increasing problem of invasive aquatic plants and their impacts. We integrated data based upon original research and a literature review to compile an inventory of invasive aquatic plants in China. In total, we found 152 invasive aquatic plant species belonging to 84 genera and 39 families, representing four major growth forms including emergent (57.24%), submerged (27.63%), rooted floating leaf (9.87%), and free floating (5.26%) categories of aquatic plants. The Poaceae (Gramineae) (23 species) was the most represented and species-rich family, followed by Alismataceae (14 species), Cyperaceae (13 species), Nymphaeaceae and Araceae (both with 10 species). The majority of the invasive aquatic plant species were introduced from South America, and there were also many from North America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Most of these species (96.05%) are obligate freshwater species, while a minority (3.95%) is limited to marine or intertidal habitats. The ornamental trade has been the most frequent historic pathway for the introduction of invasive aquatic plants.

Cyprus relies on seawater desalination for a large part of its drinking water supply, with reverse osmosis providing more than 95% of the total desalination capacity in the country. Nevertheless, the environmental impacts of desalination for the Cypriot environment remain poorly understood. Using a combination of mining existing governmental and corporate survey data and reports, this study explores the scale of desalination in Cyprus, the impacts on the coastal marine environment and its overall carbon footprint. Surveys of Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows show strongly reduced density of shoots and leaf surface area, respectively. Analysis of the available data relating to the overall production of desalinated water and energy consumption reveals that 68.7 million m 3 of desalinated water were produced in Cyprus in 2017, resulting in the release of 160 ktons of CO 2 equivalent, representing around 2% of the total carbon emissions in Cyprus. The results are directly applicable for understanding the impacts of brine discharge on seagrass meadows, one of the most common types of Mediterranean seabed ecosystems and useful for providing guidance to decision makers as they are striving to achieve a zero-carbon economy. strategies for achieving greater sustainability in terms of reduced CO 2 emissions and less brine discharge are discussed.

This paper provides the first comprehensive checklist of the seaweeds of Cyprus, based on both literature records and new collections. The total number of species and infraspecific taxa currently accepted is 313, including 53 green algae (Ulvophyceae), 90 brown algae (Phaeophyceae), and 170 red algae (Rhodophyta). Among them, 30 taxa are reported for the first time from Cyprus: 7 green algae, 9 brown algae, and 14 red algae, while 9 taxa are regarded as aliens. In addition, 10 taxa pending confirmation of their presence, 3 excludenda, and 3 inquirenda are briefly discussed.