High Megabenthic Complexity and Vulnerability of a Mesophotic Rocky Shoal Support Its Inclusion in a Mediterranean MPA

Abstract

The deep shoal of Punta del Faro (Ligurian Sea, Mediterranean Sea) is a mesophotic rocky elevation hosting complex animal forests threatened by fishing activities. To identify appropriate conservation measures and set a reference example for similar cases, we present a detailed characterization of its megabenthic communities and a quantification of the fishing pressure. The results highlight the high natural value of the area, presenting high biodiversity (111 megabenthic and demersal species) and diverse types of animal forest, predominantly dominated by cnidarians. The tridimensional seascape is among the most complex in the eastern Ligurian Sea, but the long-term evaluation of its environmental status suggested consistent affects due to the high abundance of lost fishing gear (0.65 items m−2) directly entangled with structuring cnidarians. The artisanal and recreational fishing pressure are currently moderate. However, the use of bottom-contact fishing gear causes significant modifications to the seafloor’s integrity. This study emphasizes the high conservation value and vulnerability of the shoal, highlighting the importance of its protection through its inclusion in the Portofino MPA, whose external perimeter is 200 m from the study area. A critical discussion of the advantages and disadvantages is provided with a map of the possible extension of the MPA boundaries.

The Changing Biogeography of the Ligurian Sea: Seawater Warming and Further Records of Southern Species

“…Proving that a species no longer exists in a given area is difficult, especially in the marine environment [176]. Frequent and intense heatwaves associated with the periods of rapid warming have caused mass mortalities of many Ligurian Sea autochthonous species [26,177,178], some of which, however, survive in deeper waters [28,179,180]. Primary productivity alteration [181], together with other dysfunctions [182] and disturbances [183], have heavily impacted the Ligurian Sea biota [28].…”

Healthy assemblages of Isidella elongata unintentionally protected from trawling offshore of Asinara Island (northwestern Sardinia, NW Mediterranean Sea)

“…The density values of F. quadrangularis found in this study are comparable to or even greater than those reported in the literature; for example, 0.83 col. m −2 in the Adriatic Sea at a depth of 162 m 53 and from 54.7 to 7771.6 ind. km −2 in the northern and central Adriatic Sea 54 ; 0.05–0.35 col. m −2 mean density along the Gioia Canyon in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea 7 ; 0.00–0.08 col. m −2 in the Ionian Sea 55 ; and 0.2 col. m −2 in the Ligurian Sea (Portofino) 56 . Aggregations of this sea pen in the Mediterranean Sea are typical of hydrodynamically active areas such as the bases of ridges, slightly sloping escarpments, and continental slopes 57 .…”

From Dormant Collections to Repositories for the Study of Habitat Changes: The Importance of Herbaria in Modern Life Sciences

“…The interest in Italian herbaria has been greatly hampered in the last two years by the foundation of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, www.nbfc.it/, accessed on 30 October 2023) aimed at conserving, restoring, monitoring, and enhancing Italian and Mediterranean biodiversity. The NBFC is one of the five national centers dedicated to frontier research, involving 48 institutions and companies throughout Italy, specifically involved in the study of biodiversity on land and water ecosystems based on key enabling technologies and environmental sustainability [47][48][49][50]. Interestingly, NBFC activities are also focused on the enhancement of Italian natural history museums with the digitization of natural collections and the development of national samples and data repositories on biodiversity.…”