Biodiversità associata ai reef a vermeti: effetti dell'acidificazione sulla malacofauna

La continua e prevista Acidificazione degli Oceani (AO) potrebbe rappresentare un ampio fattore di stress per molti organismi marini, soprattutto calcificanti. La principale causa dell’acidificazione degli oceani è legata all’aumento della CO₂ antropogenica. I Reef a Vermeti, a causa della loro eterogeneità, la locazione intertidale e gli alti livelli di biodiversità che supportano, rappresentano un Habitat chiave in Mediterraneo. Attraverso un esperimento di trapianto sono state valutate possibili variazioni in composizione e struttura del popolamento a molluschi associato lungo un gradiente naturale di pH

Analisi preliminare delle risposte della comunità intertidale a variazioni di pCO2 e temperatura

La principale conseguenza delle emissioni atmosferiche di CO2 di origine antropica è l’incremento dell’effetto serra, che sta conducendo al fenomeno del riscaldamento globale. Una parte di queste emissioni viene sequestrata dagli oceani causando profondi cambiamenti nella chimica dei carbonati, un processo noto come acidificazione degli oceani. La temperatura ed il pH possono interagire fra loro inducendo cambiamenti nelle risposte delle comunità marine. Questo studio si propone di valutare sperimentalmente la risposta del biofilm a cambiamenti indotti di temperatura e pCO2 lungo un gradiente di chimica dei carbonati nell’Isola di Vulcano (Isole Eolie)

Impiego dei BRUV (Baited Remote Underwater Video) per la valutazione del popolamento ittico nell'area marina protetta Capo Gallo-Isola delle Femmine (Palermo)

A Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) system was used to assess fish assemblages on detritic bottoms (40 m) inside and outside the Capo Gallo - Isola delle Femmine MPA. Our study investigated the suitability of Baited Remote Underwater Video to describe fish (relative) abundance and diversity between sites at different protection levels. The fish assemblages relative abundance and species richness significantly differed between the three different location (A, B e CTL) considered. The largest difference occurred at CTL site position outside the MPA, where 2-fold increase in the number of species was recorded relative to the A and B sites

Social equity and marine protected areas: Perceptions of small-scale fishermen in the Mediterranean Sea

Global conservation marine and coastal policies and strategies require the scaling up of effectively and equitably managed networks of marine protected areas (MPAs). While progress has been made on spatial coverage, the fundamental aspects of organization, effectiveness and equity are falling short. Past research has focused on management effectiveness in MPAs, but less attention has been given to social equity though it is an ethical imperative and instrumental to conservation. This study assessed the perceptions of SSF regarding recognitional, procedural and distributional dimensions of social equity using quantitative surveys in 11 MPAs across 6 countries on the Mediterranean Sea. To do so, we developed individual indicators from which we created composite scores for recognitional, procedural, and distributional equity, and a combined social equity score. Overall, descriptive results showed that SSF perceptions of social equity were quite varied but slightly skewed towards positive perceptions. Then, we developed predictive models to analyze the effects of geographic (i.e., MPA and country) and individual (i.e., SSF demographics and characteristics) factors on the composite social equity scores. All social equity scores differed significantly between MPAs. Being an older fisher was associated with a decrease in recognitional equity, while having a higher level of relative wealth or more diversified livelihoods was associated with higher scores for distributional equity. These results point to the need for tailored management actions to improve equity in different MPA sites and for different groups. This paper presents a novel quantitative method for using stakeholder perceptions to examine social equity that might be applied to marine and terrestrial conservation initiatives elsewhere