A new index (MediSkew) for the assessment of the Cymodocea nodosa (Ucria) Ascherson meadow's status

Dynamics of environmental conditions during the decline of a <i>Cymodocea nodosa</i> meadow

“…The seagrass Cymodocea nodosa (Ucria) Ascherson is a widely distributed and common species throughout the Mediterranean (Terrados and Ros, 1992;Pedersen et al, 1997;Cancemi et al, 2002;Agostini et al, 2003). For the northern Adriatic, however, only sparse data are available on the standing crop, seasonal dynamics, or natural and anthropogenic pressures supporting the ecological or conservation status of C. nodosa meadows (Zavodnik et al, 1998;Orlando-Bonaca et al, 2015). Although C. nodosa shows large phenotypic plasticity, adapting to diverse natural and anthropogenic stressors by physiological and morphological adaptations, a severe decline has been reported during the last few decades in coastal areas (Orth et al, 2006;Short et al, 2011;Tuya et al, 2002Tuya et al, , 2014, including the northern Adriatic (Orlando-Bonaca et al, 2015.…”

“…For the northern Adriatic, however, only sparse data are available on the standing crop, seasonal dynamics, or natural and anthropogenic pressures supporting the ecological or conservation status of C. nodosa meadows (Zavodnik et al, 1998;Orlando-Bonaca et al, 2015). Although C. nodosa shows large phenotypic plasticity, adapting to diverse natural and anthropogenic stressors by physiological and morphological adaptations, a severe decline has been reported during the last few decades in coastal areas (Orth et al, 2006;Short et al, 2011;Tuya et al, 2002Tuya et al, , 2014, including the northern Adriatic (Orlando-Bonaca et al, 2015. One of these declines was documented in our study performed from July 2017 to October 2018 in Saline Bay (northern Adriatic Sea).…”

Effects of the Invasion of Caulerpa cylindracea in a Cymodocea nodosa Meadow in the Northern Adriatic Sea

“…Even though C. nodosa is a protected species (UNEP-PAM-RAC/SPA, 2012) and an important biological element of coastal water quality included in European directives and monitoring programs (Orlando-Bonaca et al, 2015), its invaded meadows should receive more attention. The prolonged destabilization of the invaded meadows could increase their susceptibility to coastal modification and water quality degradation which are considered the main causes of C. nodosa decline and extinction as reported in European coastal areas including the northern Adriatic (Tuya et al, 2014;de los Santos et al, 2019;Orlando-Bonaca et al, 2019;Najdek et al, 2020).…”

The efficiency of trace element uptake by seagrass Cymodocea serrulata in Rabigh lagoon, Red Sea

“…For example, the high capacity of trace element accumulation of seagrass and its relevance in the food chain as a primary producer gives an early insight into contamination in the marine ecosystem and its possible impact on biodiversity (Zhou et al 2008;Farias et al 2018). The use of biological indicators in the polluted marine ecosystem to determine the concentration of trace elements in organisms gives insight into the alteration and degradation of the aquatic ecosystem (Bonanno and Raccuia 2018;Bonanno et al 2017;Orlando-Bonaca et al 2015).…”