Ecosystem dynamics in the Liguro-Provençal Basin: the role of eddies in the biological production.

We study numerically the role of mesoscale structures in the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean Sea) as a possible factor affecting the spatial distribution of the chlorophyll spring bloom. We use the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) configured for the NW Mediterranean Sea (ROMS_NWMed) and satellite derived Altimetric, Sea Surface Temperature and Chlorophyll concentration data, for years 2009 and 2010. Comparison of model output with satellite and in situ data shows agreement between numerical results and observations. There is a significant interannual variability in concentration and distribution of chlorophyll in the basin during the two years of the study. The ROMS_NWMed simulation reveals the formation of a number of mesoscale eddies along the Northern rim Current characterized by a long lifetime and closed streamlines. A significant higher number of eddies is found during the chlorophyll-rich year 2010. The high number of eddies, due to the “eddy pumping mechanism”, generate spatially and temporally localised fluxes of nutrient into the euphotic zone, thus contributing to the fertilization of the Ligurian Sea. Therefore, eddies in the Ligurian rim current can have important effects on the location of development of the main patch of chlorophyll spring bloom and consequently on the local ecosystem dynamics

Ecosystem dynamics in the Liguro-Provençal Basin: the role of eddies in the biological production

We study numerically the role of mesoscale structures in the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean Sea) as a possible factor affecting the spatial distribution of the chlorophyll spring bloom. We use the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) configured for the NW Mediterranean Sea (ROMS_NWMed) and satellite derived Altimetric, Sea Surface Temperature and Chlorophyll concentration data, for years 2009 and 2010. Comparison of model output with satellite and in situ data shows agreement between numerical results and observations. There is a significant interannual variability in concentration and distribution of chlorophyll in the basin during the two years of the study. The ROMS_NWMed simulation reveals the formation of a number of mesoscale eddies along the Northern rim Current characterized by a long lifetime and closed streamlines. A significant higher number of eddies is found during the chlorophyll-rich year 2010. The high number of eddies, due to the "eddy pumping mechanism", generate spatially and temporally localised fluxes of nutrient into the euphotic zone, thus contributing to the fertilization of the Ligurian Sea. Therefore, eddies in the Ligurian rim current can have important effects on the location of development of the main patch of chlorophyll spring bloom and consequently on the local ecosystem dynamics

Paraffin waxes in the North-Western Mediterranean Sea: A comprehensive assessment in the Pelagos Sanctuary, a Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Importance

Paraffin waxes are widely recognized as emerging marine pollutants, even their classification by the recent monitoring programs and the knowledge of their occurrence, and sources of contamination in marine ecosystems are poorly defined and reported. Wax presence and distribution have been evaluated in different environmental compartments in the Pelagos Sanctuary (Mediterranean Sea) floating on the sea surface and stranded on beaches, focussing on their characterization, accumulation areas and pollution inputs. More than 2500 yellow paraffin residues were detected and analysed in the study area showing a prevailing dimension smaller than 5 mm. The Genoa Canyon and the waters facing Gorgona Island resulted in the more polluted areas representing two distinct hotspots of wax accumulation potentially related to the high density of tanker vessels sailing to and from the harbour of Genova and Livorno. Higher concentrations of beached particles were found along the Tuscan coast (11 items/100 m) and on Pianosa Island (110 items/m2). This study gives valuable insights into paraffin wax pollution in the Pelagos Sanctuary, emphasizing the need for harmonized monitoring and detection methods to elucidate the potential impacts on marine organisms. Moreover, mitigating actions are crucial to prevent and curb the waxes pollution of marine ecosystems

Cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea. Encounter rate, dominant species, and diversity hotspots

We investigated the presence and diversity of cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea, analysing the data collected by 32 different research units, over a period of 15 years (2004–2018), and shared on the common web-GIS platform named Intercet. We used the encounter rate, the species prevalence, and the Shannon diversity index as parameters for data analysis. The results show that cetacean diversity, in the context of the Mediterranean basin, is generally quite low when compared with the eastern Atlantic, as few species, namely the striped dolphin, the bottlenose dolphin, the fin whale, and the sperm whale, dominate over all the others. However, some areas, such as the Alboran Sea or the north-western Mediterranean Sea, which includes the Pelagos Sanctuary (the Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Interest located in the northern portion of the western basin), show higher levels of diversity and should be considered hotspots to be preserved. Primary production and seabed profile seem to be the two main drivers influencing the presence and distribution of cetaceans, with the highest levels of diversity observed in areas characterized by high levels of primary production and high bathymetric variability and gradient. This collective work underlines the importance of data sharing to deepen our knowledge on marine fauna at the scale of the whole Mediterranean Sea and encourages greater efforts in the networking process, also to accomplish the requirements of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, with particular reference to Descriptor 1: biological diversity is maintained

The challenge of habitat modelling for threatened low density species using heterogeneous data : the case of Cuvier’s beaked whales in the Mediterranean

We are grateful to the ACCOBAMS Secretariat for their support in this work, including a small grant for the analysis.The Mediterranean population of Cuvieŕs beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris), a deep-diving cetacean, is genetically distinct from the Atlantic, and subject to a number of conservation threats, in particular underwater noise. It is also cryptic at the surface and relatively rare, so obtain robust knowledge on distribution and abundance presents unique challenges. Here we use multiplatform and multiyear survey data to analyse the distribution and abundance of this species across the Mediterranean Sea. We use a novel approach combining heterogeneous data gathered with different methods to obtain a single density index for the region. A total of 594,996 km of survey effort and 507 sightings of Cuvier’s beaked whales, from 1990 to 2016, were pooled together from 24 different sources. Data were divided into twelve major groups according to platform height, speed and sea state. Both availability bias and effective strip width were calculated from the sightings with available perpendicular distance data. This was extrapolated to the rest of the sightings for each of the twelve groups. Habitat preference models were fitted into a GAM framework using counts of groups as a response variable with the effective searched area as an offset. Depth, coefficient of variation of depth, longitude and marine regions (as defined by the International Hydrographic Organization) were identified as important predictors. Predicted abundance of groups per grid cell were multiplied by mean group size to obtain a prediction of the abundance of animals. A total abundance of 5799 (CV = 24.0%) animals was estimated for the whole Mediterranean basin. The Alborán Sea, Ligurian Sea, Hellenic Trench, southern Adriatic Sea and eastern Ionian Sea were identified as being the main hot spots in the region. It is important to urge that the relevant stakeholders incorporate this information in the planning and execution of high risk activities in these high-risk areas.PostprintPeer reviewe

Dva zanimljiva terminološka rječnika

Authors thank United States Fleet Forces Command and Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic for funding and support for the development of this gap analysis.Heterogeneous data collection in the marine environment has led to large gaps in our knowledge of marine species distributions. To fill these gaps, models calibrated on existing data may be used to predict species distributions in unsampled areas, given that available data are sufficiently representative. Our objective was to evaluate the feasibility of mapping cetacean densities across the entire Mediterranean Sea using models calibrated on available survey data and various environmental covariates. We aggregated 302,481 km of line transect survey effort conducted in the Mediterranean Sea within the past 20 years by many organisations. Survey coverage was highly heterogeneous geographically and seasonally: large data gaps were present in the eastern and southern Mediterranean and in non-summer months. We mapped the extent of interpolation versus extrapolation and the proportion of data nearby in environmental space when models calibrated on existing survey data were used for prediction across the entire Mediterranean Sea. Using model predictions to map cetacean densities in the eastern and southern Mediterranean, characterised by warmer, less productive waters, and more intense eddy activity, would lead to potentially unreliable extrapolations. We stress the need for systematic surveys of cetaceans in these environmentally unique Mediterranean waters, particularly in non-summer months.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

ANALYSE DU COMPORTEMENT DES TURSIOPS TRUNCATUS EN PRESENCE DE CHALUT - Influence of trawling on behaviour and Surfacing rates of bottlenose dolphin in northern thyrrenian sea

Le grand dauphin (Tursiops truncatus) est une esp\ue8ce opportuniste, principalement ichtyophage, pouvant se nourrir de poissons, c\ue9phalopodes et crustac\ue9s appartenant au domaine nectonique et benthonique. Les interactions entre p\ueache et grand dauphin sont fr\ue9quemment observ\ue9es et document\ue9es, cela, quelques soient les techniques de p\ueache (Northridge et Hofmann, 1999). Ces interactions peuvent avoir d'importantes cons\ue9quences sur le rendement de la p\ueache et sur la conservation des c\ue9tac\ue9s (Perrin et al., 1994; Hall et Donovan, 2002). Cette \ue9tude analyse le comportement sp\ue9cifique de l'esp\ue8ce en pr\ue9sence de chalut. Les donn\ue9es relatives aux immersions/\ue9mersions enregistr\ue9es durant le suivi r\ue9alis\ue9 pour cette \ue9tude sont analys\ue9es de mani\ue8re \ue0 \ue9valuer l'influence de la technique de p\ueache sur le comportement respiratoire de l'esp\ue8ce. Cette \ue9tude, r\ue9alis\ue9e dans l'Archipel toscan de 2005 \ue0 2007, reporte 70 observations. Dans 33 % des cas, une interaction directe entre les dauphins et la chalutage a eut lieu. Dans l'Achipel toscan, le chalutage cible surtout les fonds de moins de 200m, et plus particuli\ue8rement les fonds inf\ue9rieurs \ue0 100m. Cette \ue9tude prend pour exemple, cinq cas d'interactions et montre que g\ue9n\ue9ralement les animaux suivent la route lin\ue9aire du chalut seulement lors de la phase de chalutage. L'analyse statistique sur le comportement en surface des animaux indique une variation significative li\ue9e \ue0 la pr\ue9sence du chalutage. Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is an opportunistic species that feeds both on nectonic and benthic preys such as cephalopods, crustaceans and fishes. Interactions between fisheries and bottlenose dolphins have been observed and well studied all around the world and for different fishing techniques (Northridge et Hofmann, 1999). The interactions lead to negative impacts both on fishing catch and on cetacean conservation ). This study deals with specific bottlenose dolphin behaviour in the presence of trawlers. We analysed surfacing behaviour during the monitoring dedicated to determine how trawling influence bottlenose dolphin behaviour. Monitoring surveys took place in Tuscan archipelago from 2005 to 2007 during which 70 sightings have been collected. For 33% of sightings, we recorded direct interactions between dolphins and fisheries. In this area, trawling always occurred on sea bottom not deeper than 200m and preferably on 100m isobath. We paid attention to five cases of interactions. Results indicate that in all cases individuals follow the trawler's head only during haul. Surfacing pattern analysis indicates a significant difference between behaviour with and without trawlers

Cetacean and maritime traffic in deep sea waters, a relation to avoid?

This study tries to quantify and to compare the relation between cetacean and maritime traffic in pelagic waters (off continental shelf). Results showed that during cetacean sightings (n=753) nautical traffic (through seascape scan sampling) is reduced by 45,3% (P=0,0000) compared to control (n=985