Marinas may act as hubs for the spread of the pseudo-indigenous bryozoan <em>Amathia verticillata</em> (Delle Chiaje, 1822) and its associates

The spaghetti bryozoan Amathia verticillata, formerly known as Zoobotryon verticillatum, was first described in 1822 from Naples, Italy, although this species was already present in 1807 at Cadiz, Spain. This ctenostome has long been considered a native species in the Mediterranean Sea but it has recently been suggested to be of Caribbean origin. It is most likely to have been introduced by vessels as hull fouling. This pseudo-indigenous species, i.e. a non-indigenous species (NIS) having been perceived to be native, has been found in several marinas and harbours within the Mediterranean Sea. In November 2014, this bryozoan species was abundant in the La Grande Motte marina on the south coast of France. Several thousand colonies were estimated to be present within this marina attached to the floating pontoon units that supported a floating boardwalk. Of the berthed craft examined, 31% were fouled with this species, and it was occasionally a prominent fouling species. Several macroinvertebrate species were associated with A. verticillata colonies, including some NIS, Paracerceis sculpta, Paranthura japonica and Caprella scaura, that are recorded for the first time from the Mediterranean coast of France. A. verticillata might support their transfer elsewhere by providing a habitat and substrate when attached to vessel hulls

Arrival of the invasive amphipod Grandidierella japonica to the Mediterranean Sea

In the marine environment, shipping is globally acknowledged as the major vector of introduction of organisms outside their native range. We surveyed harbours and marinas in the Western Mediterranean Sea for occurrence of non-indigenous species. More than 200 specimens of the Japanese amphipod Grandidierella japonica were collected in 2013 from the docks of the marina of Viareggio (Tuscany, Tyrrhenian Sea). This is the first record of this species for the Mediterranean Sea. G. japonica was previously introduced elsewhere by oyster trade and shipping; in the case of Viareggio, where no aquaculture facilities or international shipping occur, recreational boating is the only likely vector of introduction. In Europe, G. japonica is currently confined by a few localities, mainly estuaries, enclosed bays and brackish water areas, but its successful history of invasion in the Pacific coasts of North America suggests that a further spread can be expected in the Mediterranean Sea as well

Potvrda predviđanja: venecijanska laguna (Italija) obiluje invazivnim jednakonošcem Ianiropsis serricaudis Gurjanova, 1936 (Crustacea: Peracarida)

The janirid isopod Ianiropsis serricaudis, native to the North-West Pacific region, has recently been identified as a non-indigenous species in several localities in the Northern Hemisphere. Hereby, we present evidence of its occurrence in the Mediterranean Sea, namely in the Lagoon of Venice (Italy). This finding confirms the hypothesis that this species is more widespread in Europe than expected, but has long been underreported on account of the small size of isopods (most of them being in the size range of 3 to 20 mm) and the taxonomic complexity of the genus.Janiridni jednakonošci Ianiropsis serricaudis, koji izvorno potječu iz sjeverozapadne pacifičke regije, nedavno su identificirani kao alohtona vrsta na nekoliko lokaliteta u sjevernoj hemisferi. Ovime iznosimo dokaze o njihovom pojavljivanju u Sredozemnom moru, i to u venecijanskoj laguni (Italija). Ovi nalazi potvrđuju tezu da je ova vrsta rasprostranjenija u Europi nego što se mislilo, ali se o njoj dugo vremena malo izvješćivalo zbog veličine jednakonožaca (većina je veličinom varirala između 3 i 20 mm) te zbog taksonomske složenosti roda

Potvrda predviđanja: venecijanska laguna (Italija) obiluje invazivnim jednakonošcem Ianiropsis serricaudis Gurjanova, 1936 (Crustacea: Peracarida)

The janirid isopod Ianiropsis serricaudis, native to the North-West Pacific region, has recently been identified as a non-indigenous species in several localities in the Northern Hemisphere. Hereby, we present evidence of its occurrence in the Mediterranean Sea, namely in the Lagoon of Venice (Italy). This finding confirms the hypothesis that this species is more widespread in Europe than expected, but has long been underreported on account of the small size of isopods (most of them being in the size range of 3 to 20 mm) and the taxonomic complexity of the genus.Janiridni jednakonošci Ianiropsis serricaudis, koji izvorno potječu iz sjeverozapadne pacifičke regije, nedavno su identificirani kao alohtona vrsta na nekoliko lokaliteta u sjevernoj hemisferi. Ovime iznosimo dokaze o njihovom pojavljivanju u Sredozemnom moru, i to u venecijanskoj laguni (Italija). Ovi nalazi potvrđuju tezu da je ova vrsta rasprostranjenija u Europi nego što se mislilo, ali se o njoj dugo vremena malo izvješćivalo zbog veličine jednakonožaca (većina je veličinom varirala između 3 i 20 mm) te zbog taksonomske složenosti roda

Further Mediterranean expansion of the non-indigenous bryozoan <em>Celleporaria brunnea</em>: multiple records along the Italian coasts

In the framework of a wider systematic survey aimed at studying non-indigenous species in Italian harbours and marinas, the ascophoran bryozoan Celleporaria brunnea was detected for the first time in the western Mediterranean Sea. The species is presumably native to the Pacific coasts of North America and is distributed from British Columbia to the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador). In the Mediterranean Sea, C. brunnea was first recorded in 2004 in the inner part of Izmir Bay near Alsancak harbour (Turkey) and later reported along the Lebanese coasts. The species was recently detected in Cascais marina in Portugal and in the Arcachon Basin (France), documenting the first records in the eastern Atlantic. The finding in the Italian harbours of La Spezia (Liguria), Olbia (Sardinia) and Lampedusa (off Sicily) marks its western and northernmost occurrence within the Mediterranean basin. Pathways of introduction into the western Mediterranean Sea are discussed, concluding that hull fouling is the most likely vector. The species may be expected to appear soon in other harbours of the Mediterranean basin

Effect of Predation on Fouling Communities in an Italian Hotspot of Non-Indigenous Species

The role of native predators in controlling or facilitating non-indigenous species (NIS) growing in a fouling assemblage was investigated with a 70-day caging experiment in a marina inside the Gulf of La Spezia (Italy). Submerged PVC panels were divided into three experimental treatment levels: “control panels”, “open-caged panels” and “caged panels”, to assess the predation effect on the fouling assemblages growing on the panels. Predation effect was observed for two investigated variables. The Shannon Index was significantly higher in caged panels in comparison with controls, while an opposite trend was observed for the coverage area of native species. When testing single NIS abundance, both facilitation and limitation of individual NIS settlement has been observed. Mean coverage of the sabellid Branchiomma luctuosum was significantly higher in caged than in uncaged or open-caged panels, while the ascidian Styela plicata was prevalent in open-caged panels. In general, a predation effect was observed when considering the whole fouling assemblage, including different trends in NIS coverage among treatment levels. The results of this first attempt performed in the Mediterranean Sea encourage further experiments to investigate the biotic resistance provided by native predators against NIS

A massive update of non-indigenous species records in Mediterranean marinas

The Mediterranean Sea is home to over 2/3 of the world’s charter boat traffic and hosts an estimated 1.5 million recreational boats. Studies elsewhere have demonstrated marinas as important hubs for the stepping-stone transfer of non-indigenous species (NIS), but these unique anthropogenic, and typically artificial habitats have largely gone overlooked in the Mediterranean as sources of NIS hot-spots. From April 2015 to November 2016, 34 marinas were sampled across the following Mediterranean countries: Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus to investigate the NIS presence and richness in the specialized hard substrate material of these marina habitats. All macroinvertebrate taxa were collected and identified. Additionally, fouling samples were collected from approximately 600 boat-hulls from 25 of these marinas to determine if boats host diverse NIS not present in the marina. Here, we present data revealing that Mediterranean marinas indeed act as major hubs for the transfer of marine NIS, and we also provide evidence that recreational boats act as effective vectors of spread. From this wide-ranging geographical study, we report here numerous new NIS records at the basin, subregional, country and locality level. At the basin level, we report three NIS new to the Mediterranean Sea (Achelia sawayai sensu lato, Aorides longimerus, Cymodoce aff. fuscina), and the re-appearance of two NIS previously known but currently considered extinct in the Mediterranean (Bemlos leptocheirus, Saccostrea glomerata). We also compellingly update the distributions of many NIS in the Mediterranean Sea showing some recent spreading; we provide details for 11 new subregional records for NIS (Watersipora arcuata, Hydroides brachyacantha sensu lato and Saccostrea glomerata now present in the Western Mediterranean; Symplegma brakenhielmi, Stenothoe georgiana, Spirobranchus tertaceros sensu lato, Dendostrea folium sensu lato and Parasmittina egyptiaca now present in the Central Mediterranean, and W. arcuata, Bemlos leptocheirus and Dyspanopeus sayi in the Eastern Mediterranean). We also report 51 new NIS country records from recreational marinas: 12 for Malta, 10 for Cyprus, nine for Greece, six for Spain and France, five for Turkey and three for Italy, representing 32 species. Finally, we report 20 new NIS records (representing 17 species) found on recreational boat-hulls (mobile habitats), not yet found in the same marina, or in most cases, even the country. For each new NIS record, their native origin and global and Mediterranean distributions are provided, along with details of the new record. Additionally, taxonomic characters used for identification and photos of the specimens are also provided. These new NIS records should now be added to the relevant NIS databases compiled by several entities. Records of uncertain identity are also discussed, to assess the probability of valid non-indigenous status

Marine fouling communities from artificial and natural habitats: comparison of resistance to chemical and physical disturbances

Assessing the resistance of fouling communities to anthropogenic disturbances is an important goal for the development of effective management and control strategies. In this context, we conducted a manipulative experiment on natural and artificial habitats to examine fouling communities that developed outside and inside a marina on Madeira Island (NE Atlantic Ocean) following the application of two types of stressors frequently observed in coastal habitats, namely chemical and physical disturbances. The tested fouling communities, dominated by native and non- indigenous species respectively, were in general strongly affected by the chemical but not by the physical disturbance applied, and a higher resistance to disturbance was observed in the communities outside the marina. This suggests higher capacities for communities richer in native species to tolerate anthropogenic disturbances, while non-indigenous species did not play a key role. Further research can assess the resilience of natural and artificial fouling communities when exposed to disturbances

Investigating Employees’ Concerns and Wishes Regarding Digital Stress Management Interventions With Value Sensitive Design: Mixed Methods Study

Background: Work stress places a heavy economic and disease burden on society. Recent technological advances include digital health interventions for helping employees prevent and manage their stress at work effectively. Although such digital solutions come with an array of ethical risks, especially if they involve biomedical big data, the incorporation of employees' values in their design and deployment has been widely overlooked. Objective: To bridge this gap, we used the value sensitive design (VSD) framework to identify relevant values concerning a digital stress management intervention (dSMI) at the workplace, assess how users comprehend these values, and derive specific requirements for an ethics-informed design of dSMIs. VSD is a theoretically grounded framework that front-loads ethics by accounting for values throughout the design process of a technology. Methods: We conducted a literature search to identify relevant values of dSMIs at the workplace. To understand how potential users comprehend these values and derive design requirements, we conducted a web-based study that contained closed and open questions with employees of a Swiss company, allowing both quantitative and qualitative analyses. Results: The values health and well-being, privacy, autonomy, accountability, and identity were identified through our literature search. Statistical analysis of 170 responses from the web-based study revealed that the intention to use and perceived usefulness of a dSMI were moderate to high. Employees' moderate to high health and well-being concerns included worries that a dSMI would not be effective or would even amplify their stress levels. Privacy concerns were also rated on the higher end of the score range, whereas concerns regarding autonomy, accountability, and identity were rated lower. Moreover, a personalized dSMI with a monitoring system involving a machine learning-based analysis of data led to significantly higher privacy (P=.009) and accountability concerns (P=.04) than a dSMI without a monitoring system. In addition, integrability, user-friendliness, and digital independence emerged as novel values from the qualitative analysis of 85 text responses. Conclusions: Although most surveyed employees were willing to use a dSMI at the workplace, there were considerable health and well-being concerns with regard to effectiveness and problem perpetuation. For a minority of employees who value digital independence, a nondigital offer might be more suitable. In terms of the type of dSMI, privacy and accountability concerns must be particularly well addressed if a machine learning-based monitoring component is included. To help mitigate these concerns, we propose specific requirements to support the VSD of a dSMI at the workplace. The results of this work and our research protocol will inform future research on VSD-based interventions and further advance the integration of ethics in digital health

Symplegma (Ascidiacea: Styelidae), a non-indigenous genus spreading within the Mediterranean Sea: taxonomy, routes and vectors

Symplegma is a genus of compound ascidians (Fam. Styelidae) with warm water affinities and distribution in tropical and subtropical waters of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans. The first record of this genus (as S. viride) in the Mediterranean was from 1951 in the Levantine Sea, presumably entering the basin from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal. Subsequently, it has been expanding its distributional range northward along the Levantine Sea coast, probably following the prevailing surface current direction. Recently, Symplegma has colonized the Aegean, Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas, where it is spreading quickly, most likely mediated by shipping (i.e., hull fouling). Some specimens from the Ionian Sea (specifically from Tunisia, Malta) present opaque tunics resembling the Indo-Pacific Symplegma bahraini; however, morphological studies suggest that the genus in the Mediterranean Sea is represented by a single species, Symplegma brakenhielmi. The taxonomy of S. brakenhielmi, as well as its spreading routes and possible introduction vectors are analysed.The surveys in Porto Marina El Alamein, Egypt were conducted within the framework of the MAPMED Project “MAnagement of Port areas in the MEDiterranean Sea Basin” funded by ENPI CBC MED Cross-Border Cooperation. The specimens of S. brakenhielmi from Kiyikislacik (Aegean Sea) were collected during a project funded by Ege University (16/SÜF/003). The surveys in Kuriat Island, Tunisia were conducted within the framework of the Supporting the management of the marine and coastal protected area of the Kuriat Islands executed by SPA/RAC in partnership with the Coastal Protection and Management Agency and Notre Grand Bleu NGO and funded by the MAVA Foundation