A review on the biodiversity of hard substrate invertebrate communities in the Aegean Sea

This review attempts to estimate the biodiversity of the macrobenthic communities that develop on hard bottoms in the Aegean Sea. Literature analysis revealed that 1,171 species inhabit the hard substrate communities, constituting 20.9% of the total Mediterranean species. The hierarchical cluster analysis of the available data identified five major types: (1) the supralittoral communities, (2) the midlittoral communities, (3) the port communities, (4) the various facies of the photophilic algae community, and (5) the facies of the sciaphilic algae community. Thus, hard bottom communities in the Aegean seem to be separated mainly according to vertical zonation. A total of 68 hard-bottom species are under multiple exploitation, providing considerable economic profit. Taking into account the structural complexity of hard substrate benthic communities and their sensitivity to disturbances, it is essential to preserve the biodiversity of these biotopes

Biological components of Greek lagoonal ecosystems: an overview

The paper summarises the available information on the main biological components – phytoplankton, zooplankton, phytobenthos, zoobenthos and fish – of Greek lagoonal ecosystems. Meiobenthos was also studied in one of the lagoons. All components show great variability both in space and time, which is attributed to the variability of environmental conditions. The most important variable influencing species distribution and diversity is the degree of communication with the sea and the nutrient load introduced through fresh water inputs. Certain new methods, which have been applied for evaluation of the ecological quality state of the lagoons, are also presented

Molluscan species of minor commercial interest in Hellenic seas: Distribution, exploitation and conservation status

Recognising the need for data gathering at taxon level besides the taxa of commercial interest and those listed as endangered in the Protocol of the Barcelona Convention, but still exploited by Man, the present study attempts to gather and review the available scientific information on molluscs of minor commercial importance in order to assist in the adequate management and protection of their populations. Forty one species (18 gastropods, 13 bivalves, and 10 cephalopods) of minor commercial interest are treated in the present work with details on their biogeographic distribution, exploitation and conservation status in Hellas. Apart from a few species (e.g., Pinna nobilis, Lithophaga lithophaga, Donacilla cornea), and these only at a local scale, there is no population assessment in Hellenic seas. The existing legislation for eleven of these species is not enforced in practice, and seems insufficient to guarantee their conservation. It is suggested that targeted collection data, networked nationally and internationally, should be promoted so this invaluable source of biodiversity information can be accessed for conservation and planning purposes

Ecosystem processes: litter breakdown patterns in Mediterranean and Black Sea transitional waters

1 - Leaf litter decomposition rates, in aquatic ecosystems, are known to be related to many different abiotic and biotic factors. 2 - Here, we focus on the influence of abiotic factors, searching for patterns of reed litter decay rates on gradient of physiographic, hydrological and physico-chemical components of transitional water ecosystems. 3 - Field experiments were carried out in 16 water ecosystems in the Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea in spring 2005. 4 - Significant differences of leaf litter decomposition were observed among ecosystems along univariate gradient of tidal range, index of sinuosity, water temperature and salinity. At least 71% of variance in the litter breakdown rate was explained by the considered abiotic factors. 5 - It is concluded that, at the macro-ecological scale of study, some key abiotic factors, such as tidal range and salinity, are suggested to play a major role as drivers of plant detritus decomposition processes. 6 - The relevance of the described abiotic drivers as descriptor of the most commonly used classification schemes for transitional water ecosystems (i.e., Confinement and Venice System classifications), is a further support to their role as environmental forcing factors

Five key attributes can increase marine protected areas performance for small-scale fisheries management

Marine protected areas (MPAs) have largely proven to be effective tools for conserving marine ecosystem, while socio-economic benefits generated by MPAs to fisheries are still under debate. Many MPAs embed a no-take zone, aiming to preserve natural populations and ecosystems, within a buffer zone where potentially sustainable activities are allowed. Small-scale fisheries (SSF) within buffer zones can be highly beneficial by promoting local socio-economies. However, guidelines to successfully manage SSFs within MPAs, ensuring both conservation and fisheries goals, and reaching a win-win scenario, are largely unavailable. From the peer-reviewed literature, grey-literature and interviews, we assembled a unique database of ecological, social and economic attributes of SSF in 25 Mediterranean MPAs. Using random forest with Boruta algorithm we identified a set of attributes determining successful SSFs management within MPAs. We show that fish stocks are healthier, fishermen incomes are higher and the social acceptance of management practices is fostered if five attributes are present (i.e. high MPA enforcement, presence of a management plan, fishermen engagement in MPA management, fishermen representative in the MPA board, and promotion of sustainable fishing). These findings are pivotal to Mediterranean coastal communities so they can achieve conservation goals while allowing for profitable exploitation of fisheries resources

New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records (April, 2014)

According to reports, the following 16 species have extended their distribution to other Mediterranean areas or have made a new appearance in other regions. The first category includes the following organisms: The rare and common Indo-Pacific seaweed Codium arabicum (Lebanese coasts), the acari Thalassarachna affinis (Marmara Sea), and the non-indigenous nudibranch Flabellina rubrolineata, which has also been found in many other areas of the Aegean Sea. In addition, the rare sea slug Thecacera pennigera (Piccolo of Taranto), the fangtooth moray Enchelycore anatina (National Marine Park of Zakynthos, Ionian Sea), the carangid Seriola fasciata (Gulf of Antalya), Lagocephalus sceleratus (SE. Ionian Sea), the reticulated leatherjacket Stephanolepis diaspros (Slovenia, N. Adriatic Sea), the marbled stingray, Dasyatis marmorata (NE Levantine), the starry smooth-hound Mustelus asterias (Iskenderun Bay, NE Mediterranean), the cephalopod Ommastrephes bartramii (Ionian Sea) have also been reported. The Atlantic crab Dyspanopeus sayi has expanded to many Italian areas and the blue crab Callinectes sapidus to a lake in N. Greece and in the S. Adriatic Sea. Finally, Farfantepenaeus aztecus has been found in the Ionian Sea, thus showing its wide expansion in the Mediterranean. The larval stages of Faccionella oxyrhyncha have been found, after many years, in the Aegean Sea and the first report of an existence on intersexual acari Litarachna duboscqi in Split(Adriatic Sea) was reported

Diversity and structure of coralligenous assemblages dominated by Eunicella cavolini (Koch, 1887) in the Aegean Sea

2nd Mediterranean Symposium on the Conservation of Coralligenous and other Calcareous Bio-Concretions, 29-30 October 2014, Portorož, Slovenia.-- 6 pages, 2 figures, 1 tablePeer Reviewe

W.G. Sebald and the work of narrative melancholia

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

The Teuthoidea (Cephalopoda, Mollusca) fauna of the Aegean Sea: comparison with the neighbouring seas and notes on their diet composition

Sampling carried out at 47 stations in the Aegean Sea revealed the presence of 10 teuthoid species. A checklist of the Mediterranean and Black Sea teuthoid species, as well as their distribution in the Mediterranean territorial areas and the Black Sea, is presented. The comparison of the faunas of the Mediterranean territorial areas showed that the number of species decreases as follows: Western Mediterranean, Central Mediterranean, Aegean Sea, Adriatic Sea, Levantine Sea, while in the Black Sea no teuthoid species exist. Species with a cosmopolitan distribution dominate in all Mediterranean areas followed in numbers by the Atlanto-Mediterranean species. One species is characterized as a lessepsian migrant while no endemic species exist. The examination of the diet composition of the 10 teuthoid species showed that they mainly feed on Crustacea followed by Pisces

Distribution of Eunicella cavolini (Koch, 1887) across the Mediterranean

2nd Mediterranean Symposium on the Conservation of Coralligenous and other Calcareous Bio-Concretions, 29-30 October 2014, Portorož, Slovenia.-- 2 pages, 1 figurePeer Reviewe