Calcareous Bio-Concretions in the Northern Adriatic Sea: Habitat Types, Environmental Factors that Influence Habitat Distributions, and Predictive Modeling

Habitat classifications provide guidelines for mapping and comparing marine resources across geographic regions. Calcareous bio-concretions and their associated biota have not been exhaustively categorized. Furthermore, for management and conservation purposes, species and habitat mapping is critical. Recently, several developments have occurred in the field of predictive habitat modeling, and multiple methods are available. In this study, we defined the habitats constituting northern Adriatic biogenic reefs and created a predictive habitat distribution model. We used an updated dataset of the epibenthic assemblages to define the habitats, which we verified using the fuzzy k-means (FKM) clustering method. Redundancy analysis was employed to model the relationships between the environmental descriptors and the FKM membership grades. Predictive modelling was carried out to map habitats across the basin. Habitat A (opportunistic macroalgae, encrusting Porifera, bioeroders) characterizes reefs closest to the coastline, which are affected by coastal currents and river inputs. Habitat B is distinguished by massive Porifera, erect Tunicata, and noncalcareous encrusting algae (Peyssonnelia spp.). Habitat C (non-articulated coralline, Polycitor adriaticus) is predicted in deeper areas. The onshore-offshore gradient explains the variability of the assemblages because of the influence of coastal freshwater, which is the main driver of nutrient dynamics. This model supports the interpretation of Habitat A and C as the extremes of a gradient that characterizes the epibenthic assemblages, while Habitat B demonstrates intermediate characteristics. Areas of transition are a natural feature of the marine environment and may include a mixture of habitats and species. The habitats proposed are easy to identify in the field, are related to different environmental features, and may be suitable for application in studies focused on other geographic areas. The habitat model outputs provide insight into the environmental drivers that control the distribution of the habitat and can be used to guide future research efforts and cost-effective management and conservation plans

Exploring spatio-temporal changes in the demersal and benthopelagic assemblages of the northwestern Ionian Sea (central Mediterranean Sea)

An exploration of the structure of demersal and benthopelagic assemblages in the north-western Ionian Sea was carried out by means of a set of statistical analyses. Self-organising map (SOM) and clustering methods applied to 183 taxa and their biomass (kg km-2) provided the classification of 1288 experimental hauls exploring the bathymetric range 10-800 m from 1995 to 2012. Six clusters were identified according to their similarities in species abundances (biomass), confirming the depth gradient as the main structuring agent. In order to identify key representative species in each cluster, the taxa were ranked by means of an indicator value index (IndVal) and the contribution of species to beta diversity (BD). Furthermore, the clusters were described by means of environmental and fishing characteristics. Particular habitat type, distance to canyon and fishing effort segregated the assemblages on the coastal shelf and slope. Temporal differences were detected in 2 bathyal groups, which were most likely affected by the 1990s environmental change in the deepwater circulation known as the Eastern Mediterranean Transient. The overall total BD in the study area was calculated as 0.79, with a temporal decrease observed at a rate of 0.7% yr-1. The approaches used are useful to identify and characterize the species aggregations inside complex faunal assemblages, without a priori assumptions about data distribution. These results can be a starting point for defining functional groups for Mediterranean food web modelling approaches, as well as for identifying indicator species to assess the environmental status in the context of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive

Signalling Demand for Foreign Investment: Postsocialist Countries in the Global Bilateral Investment Treaties Network

A unique dataset on bilateral investment treaties provides a novel source of evidence on the link between neoliberal globalisation and market transition. We argue that postsocialist countries of Europe and Eurasia, more than other developing regions in the world, signed such treaties to signal demand for foreign investment in the spirit of neoliberalism. We calculated the density of the whole BIT network since its inception in 1959 to 2009, and density and centrality of different regional blocks within it, and found strong support for our argument. Yet, even if bilateral investment treaties are designed to promote foreign direct investment, dynamic panel regression models show that signing them does not automatically translate into foreign direct investment inflows for postsocialist European and Eurasian countries in the 1990–2010 period

Cross-scale connectivity of macrobenthic communities in a patchy network of habitats: The Mesophotic Biogenic Habitats of the Northern Adriatic Sea

Connectivity is a fundamental ecological property affecting stability, resilience and recovery of marine populations, in particular in networks of patchy habitats as the Mesophotic Biogenic Habitats of the Northern Adriatic Sea. Specific information on the dispersal behaviour of many species living in these habitats is lacking, thus the connectivity simulations were performed over different pelagic propagules duration and different reproductive seasons of six consecutive years, covering most of the possible dispersal behaviour variability. The connectivity simulations were analysed with graph analysis methods by characterizing each connectivity graph with several structural measures and by identifying sites with greatest individual and group centrality. We tested the hypothesis that geographic proximity of sites cannot be a proxy for the connectivity and that hydrodynamic connectivity is statistically significantly related to the observed beta diversity among the studied sites. Results showed that species with different pelagic propagules duration follow greatly different dispersal dynamics, and that the network of studied outcrops is only partially connected to coastal benthic populations. Our results also made possible a critical appraisal of the current conservation strategies, evidencing gaps in the existing network of protected Mesophotic Biogenic Habitats in the Northern Adriatic Sea. We suggest possible improvements for an efficient preservation strategy of these unique biodiversity hotspots by including a fundamental ecological process, the dispersal connectivity, into the process of decision making for conservation

Socio-economic factors in the event of an oil spill in the North Adriatic

Should an oil spill of tier III magnitude occur in the Northern Adriatic, there is a high probability that the oil will reach and pollute the surrounding coastline. Therefore, it is vital to conduct coastal vulnerability studies to develop priority plans and coastal vulnerability maps to help first responders protect the coastline. As there is no common contingency plan for oil spills in the Northern Adriatic, three countries, Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia, which share the area, decided to participate in the North Adriatic Incident Response System (NAMIRS) project. Part of the project was to conduct a coastal vulnerability study in the area. One of the three pillars for determining vulnerability, in addition to the ecological and geomorphological factors, is the socioeconomic aspect, which was studied as part of the research. As there are no clear scientific methods to determine the vulnerability of the socio‐economic factors, a survey was conducted where the participants gave their subjective opinion on its value. This was done through three workshops organised in each participating country, where professional stakeholders familiar with the state of socio‐economic activities assessed their vulnerability. The values obtained were combined with the assessments of the geomorphological and environmental factors and gathered in a coastal vulnerability layer, which was incorporated into a GIS as a standard coastal vulnerability map that will help first responders prioritise coastal protection. The research results will also be useful globally and not just in the area studied by NAMIRS, since the method used is readily applicable to any part of the world

Writing communities to (re-) engage faculty: The U See I Write Initiative

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on university faculty, unduly those from underrepresented groups, causing many faculty to disengage. Writing communities represent a promising tool to (re-)engage faculty and build an inclusive climate. As part of U See I Write, a faculty development initiative at the University of California, Irvine, we convened a series of monthly writing retreats between March and June of 2021, with between-retreat weekly writing sessions in smaller groups and an expectation to write daily for at least 30 minutes. In a diverse cohort of 34 faculty writers, program participation resulted in a significant increase in writing and work engagement. Similar initiatives at other institutions of higher education may prove successful in faculty (re-)engagement while also advancing faculty diversity

Writing Communities to (Re-)engage Faculty: The U See I Write Initiative

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on university faculty, unduly those from underrepresented groups, causing many faculty to disengage. Writing communities represent a promising tool to (re-)engage faculty and build an inclusive climate. As part of U See I Write, a faculty development initiative at the University of California, Irvine, we convened a series of monthly writing retreats between March and June of 2021, with between-retreat weekly writing sessions in smaller groups and an expectation to write daily for at least 30 minutes. In a diverse cohort of 34 faculty writers, program participation resulted in a significant increase in writing and work engagement. Similar initiatives at other institutions of higher education may prove successful in faculty (re-)engagement while also advancing faculty diversity