Threats to macroalgal coralligenous assemblages in the Mediterranean Sea

Piazzi, Luigi; Gennaro, Paola; Balata, David

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.07.027

Cited by 76 publications

(69 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…Also, local protection might be not enough to prevent impacts on the structure and the ecological quality of coralligenous assemblages, as many organisms are more sensitive to large-scale alterations of water quality than to local disturbances (Parravicini et al 2013). Changes in macroalga abundance and composition among the studied environmental conditions were in agreement with patterns widely described (Piazzi et al 2012 and references therein). The main differences between conditions were related to the abundance of algal turfs, which increased at the high urbanized locations where, instead, the erect Rhodophyta and Udoteaceae (Halimeda tuna and Flabellia petiolata) decreased significantly.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

“…These patterns confirm the sensitivity of coralligenous assemblages to human pressure (Balata et al 2007b, Piazzi et al 2012, Gatti et al 2015b, highlighting the suitability of these assemblages to be used as ecological indicators in monitoring survey and impact evaluation studies (Deter et al 2012, Sartoretto et al 2014, Gatti et al 2015a. Also, local protection might be not enough to prevent impacts on the structure and the ecological quality of coralligenous assemblages, as many organisms are more sensitive to large-scale alterations of water quality than to local disturbances (Parravicini et al 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 59%

“…It is one of the most important coastal ecosystems of the Mediterranean Sea for distribution, biodiversity, productivity and role in the CO 2 cycle (Bertolino et al 2013, Martin et al 2014, Casas-Guell et al 2015. Coralligenous habitat is considered sensitive to human activities (Piazzi et al 2012, Cánovas Molina et al 2016) and has been included in the protection programme of European legislation (e.g. the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC; the Marine Strategy Framework Directive 2008/56/EEC) as a habitat of high scientific interest and biodiversity ("special habitat type" sensu MSFD 2008/56/EEC) (EC 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Integración de el índice ESCA por medio de los macro-invertebrados sésiles

Piazzi¹,

Gennaro²,

Cecchi³

et al. 2017

Sci. Mar.

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Summary:The ESCA (Ecological Status of Coralligenous Assemblages) index was developed to assess the ecological quality of coralligenous habitat using macroalgae as a biological indicator. The aim of this study was to evaluate the response to human-induced pressures of macroalgae and sessile macro-invertebrates shaping the coralligenous habitat and to integrate their sensitivity into the ESCA index. Coralligenous assemblages were sampled at 15 locations of the NW Mediterranean Sea classified into three groups: i) marine protected areas; ii) low urbanized locations; and iii) highly urbanized locations.A sensitivity level value was assigned to each taxon/group on the basis of its abundance in each environmental condition, the data available in the literature and the results of an expert judgement survey. The index that includes the totality of the assemblages (named ESCA-TA), calculated using both macroalgae and sessile macro-invertebrates, detected the levels of human pressure more precisely than the index calculated with only macroalgae or with only invertebrates. The potential for assessing the ecological quality of marine coastal areas was thus increased with the ESCA-TA index thanks to the use of a higher variety of descriptors.Keywords: coralligenous assemblages; ESCA and ESCA-TA indices; ecological quality; macroalgae; macro-invertebrates; Mediterranean Sea. Integración de el índice ESCA por medio de los macro-invertebrados sésilesResumen: El índice ESCA (Estado Ecológico de las Comunidades Coralígenas) ha sido desarrollado para determinar el estado ecológico de los hábitats coralígenos utilizando macro-algas como indicador biológico. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la respuesta, ante presiones antropogénicas, de macro-algas y macro-invertebrados sésiles moldeadores de la comunidad coralígena y su sensibilidad al índice ESCA. Se muestrearon comunidades coralígenas en 15 localizaciones del Mediterráneo Nord-Occidental clasificadas en 3 grupos: i) áreas marinas protegidas; ii) poco urbanizadas; iii) muy urbanizadas. Un valor de Nivel de Sensibilidad fue asignado a cada taxón/grupo en base a su abundancia en cada condición medioambiental, a información bibliográfica disponible y a los resultados de juicios por parte de expertos. El índice que integra la totalidad de las comunidades (llamado ESCA-TA), calculado usando tanto macro-algas como macro-invertebrados sésiles, detectó los diferentes niveles de presión humana de manera más precisa que el índice calculado solo con macro-algas o solo con invertebrados. El potencial para determinar el estado ecológico de las áreas marinas protegidas se incrementó con el índice ESCA-TA gracias al uso de una mayor variedad de descriptores.Palabras clave: comunidades coralígenas; índices ESCA y ESCA-TA; estado ecológico; macro-algas; macro-invertebrados; mar Mediterráneo. Citation/Como citar este artículo: Piazzi L., Gennaro P., Cecchi E., Serena F., Bianchi C.N., Morri C., Montefalcone M. 2017. Integration of ESCA index through the use of sessile invertebrates. Sci. M...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 59%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Integración de el índice ESCA por medio de los macro-invertebrados sésiles

Piazzi¹,

Gennaro²,

Cecchi³

et al. 2017

Sci. Mar.

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“…They are the result of the building activities of algal and animal constructors, counterbalanced by physical, as well as biological, eroding processes. Because of their extent, biodiversity and production, coralligenous and maërl habitats rank among the most important ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea [17][18][19][20][21] , and they are considered of great significance both for fisheries 22 and carbon regulation 23,24 .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Coralligenous and maërl habitats: predictive modelling to identify their spatial distributions across the Mediterranean Sea

Martin

Giannoulaki

Leo

et al. 2014

Sci Rep

138

109

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Bioconstructions such as coralligenous outcrops and maërl beds are typical Mediterranean underwater seascapes. Fine-scale knowledge on the distribution of these sensitive habitats is crucial for their effective management and conservation. In the present study, a thorough review of existing spatial datasets showing the distribution of coralligenous and maërl habitats across the Mediterranean Sea was undertaken, highlighting current gaps in knowledge. Predictive modelling was then carried out, based on environmental predictors, to produce the first continuous maps of these two habitats across the entire basin. These predicted occurrence maps for coralligenous outcrops and maërl beds provide critical information about where the two habitats are most likely to occur. The collated occurrence data and derived distribution model outputs can help addressing the challenge of developing basin-wide spatial plans and to guide cost-effective future surveys and monitoring efforts towards areas that are presently poorly-sampled

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“…Coralligenous habitat is one of the most important habitats of the Mediterranean Sea in terms of extension, biodiversity, production and role played in the carbonate cycle (Laborel, 1961(Laborel, , 1987UNEP, 2007). Moreover, coralligenous assemblages are sensitive to anthropogenic pressure and are considered suitable indicators of the ecological quality of coastal systems (Hong, 1983;Gatti et al, 2012;Piazzi et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial and temporal variability of mobile macro-invertebrate assemblages associated to coralligenous habitat

Bedini¹,

Bonechi²,

Piazzi³

2014

Medit. Mar. Sci.

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The study aimed to investigate patterns of spatial and temporal variability of mobile macroinvertebrate assemblages associated to coralligenous habitat. A multi-factorial sampling design was used to test the hypotheses that the structure of assemblages and their spatial and temporal variability changed in relation to substrate inclination. Moreover, macroalgae and sessile macroinvertebrates were also investigated in order to detect eventual relationships between sessile and mobile assemblages. A total of 236 mobile macro-invertebrate taxa were identified, among them 2 Platyhelminthes, 4 Sipuncula, 6 Nemertea, 27 Mollusca, 86 Annelida, 103 Arthropoda, 8 Echinodermata. The results of the study show that mobile macro-invertebrate assemblages of coralligenous habitat were little influenced by the inclination of substrate and by the morphology of sessile organisms, as patterns of variation were different between the two assemblages. Mobile macro-invertebrate assemblages changed among sampling dates within a one-year period and showed high variability at the spatial scale examined.

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Threats to macroalgal coralligenous assemblages in the Mediterranean Sea

Cited by 76 publications

References 52 publications

Integración de el índice ESCA por medio de los macro-invertebrados sésiles

Integración de el índice ESCA por medio de los macro-invertebrados sésiles

Coralligenous and maërl habitats: predictive modelling to identify their spatial distributions across the Mediterranean Sea

Spatial and temporal variability of mobile macro-invertebrate assemblages associated to coralligenous habitat

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