Human activities trigger change in marine landscape

Abstract

online. Biodiversity is undergoing rapid and worrying changes, partially driven by anthropogenic activities. Human impacts and climate change (e.g. increasing temperature and ocean acidification), which act at different spatial scale, represent the most serious threats to biodiversity and ecosystem structure and function. In this overview, the effects of anthropogenic pressures on unique and valuable Mediterranean systems, such as Cystoseira sp. pl. forest and Posidonia oceanica meadows, are examined. These complex systems, characterized by a high associated biodiversity, are regularly exposed to natural and anthropogenic pressures. Due to the central role they have for several important ecological processes in marine ecosystems, their loss can lead dramatic consequences. Since these ecosystems are often unable to recover naturally, it is necessary to reinforce their resilience. Therefore, reintroduction by transplantation and reforestation methods have been recently proposed. Considering future increase in anthropogenic and climatic pressures, understanding how these systems respond to stressors and preserving their resilience should be an essential component of any conservation management plan.

Assessment of the ecological structure of Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile on the northern coast of Lazio, Italy (central Tyrrhenian, Mediterranean)

“…Posidonia oceanica is considered a vulnerable species, largely susceptible to perturbations, and is thus included within Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), which supports the Natura 2000 network of European protected areas. From a conservation perspective, and considering future increase in both anthropogenic and climatic pressures (Mannino 2018), the assessment and management of environmental quality require an adequate knowledge of the ecosystems that can be obtained only by multidisciplinary investigations (Cozza et al 2019;Domina et al 2018). Therefore further studies focused on the intra-variability of the meadows, by analyzing the allelic richness (Jahnke et al 2015), are needed.…”

Ecological Function of Phenolic Compounds from Mediterranean Fucoid Algae and Seagrasses: An Overview on the Genus Cystoseira sensu lato and Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile

“…The high sensitivity of valuable and productive habitats, such as the genus Cystoseira sensu latu and P. oceanica meadow, makes them particularly vulnerable and susceptible to human pressures. Since human stressors are expected to increase in the coming decades, a strong effort at the global scale is required in order to establish and/or implement effective conservation plans for these sensitive and fragile ecosystems [158]. To support the sustainable management of these ecosystems, continuous monitoring of their health status and their changing over time is essential.…”