Efficient AIS Data Processing for Environmentally Safe Shipping

Reducing ship accidents at sea is important to all economic, environmental, and cultural sectors of Greece. Despite an increase in traffic and national monitoring, ships formulate routes according to their best judgment risking an accident. In this study we take a dataset spanning in 3 years from the AIS (Automatic Identification System) network, which is transmitting in public a ship's identity and location with an interval of seconds, and we load it in a trajectory database supported by the Hermes Moving Objects Database (MOD) system. Presented analysis begins by extracting statistics for the dataset, both general (number of ships and position reports) as well as safety related ones. Simple queries on the dataset illustrate the capabilities of Hermes and allow to gain insight on how the ships move in the Greek Seas. Analysis of movement based on an Origin-Destination matrix between interesting areas in the Greek territory is presented. One of the newest challenges that emerged during this process is that the amount of the positioning data is becoming more and more massive. As a conclusion, a preliminary review of possible solutions to this challenge along with others such as dealing with the noise in AIS data is mentioned and we also briefly discuss the need for interdisciplinary cooperation.This research was partially supported by AMINESS project funded by the Greek government (www.aminess.eu). Cyril Ray was supported by a Short Term Scientific Mission performed at the University of Piraeus by the COST Action IC0903 on “Knowledge Discovery from Moving Objects” (http://www.move-cost.info). IMIS Hellas (www.imishel las.gr) kindly provided the AIS dataset for research purposes

Efficient AIS Data Processing for Environmentally Safe Shipping

Reducing ship accidents at sea is important to all economic, environmental, and cultural sectors of Greece. Despite an increase in traffic and national monitoring, ships formulate routes according to their best judgment risking an accident. In this study we take a dataset spanning in 3 years from the AIS (Automatic Identification System) network, which is transmitting in public a ship's identity and location with an interval of seconds, and we load it in a trajectory database supported by the Hermes Moving Objects Database (MOD) system. Presented analysis begins by extracting statistics for the dataset, both general (number of ships and position reports) as well as safety related ones. Simple queries on the dataset illustrate the capabilities of Hermes and allow to gain insight on how the ships move in the Greek Seas. Analysis of movement based on an Origin-Destination matrix between interesting areas in the Greek territory is presented. One of the newest challenges that emerged during this process is that the amount of the positioning data is becoming more and more massive. As a conclusion, a preliminary review of possible solutions to this challenge along with others such as dealing with the noise in AIS data is mentioned and we also briefly discuss the need for interdisciplinary cooperation.This research was partially supported by AMINESS project funded by the Greek government (www.aminess.eu). Cyril Ray was supported by a Short Term Scientific Mission performed at the University of Piraeus by the COST Action IC0903 on “Knowledge Discovery from Moving Objects” (http://www.move-cost.info). IMIS Hellas (www.imishel las.gr) kindly provided the AIS dataset for research purposes

The use of storm fragments and biodegradable replanting methods allows for a low-impact habitat restoration method of seagrass meadows, in the eastern Aegean Sea

Seagrasses are important marine ecosystems but are vulnerable to physical damage from anthropogenic activities such as anchoring and trawling. Replanting damaged areas can represent a viable restoration strategy, yet current methods rely on the removal of plants from existing meadows and in some cases the use of non-sustainable planting materials. In this paper, we present evidence of a sustainable replanting strategy. Storm fragments of the endemic Mediterranean seagrass, neptune grass Posidonia oceanica were collected from the shore and shallow water, both the plagiotropic and orthotropic (horizontal and vertical) growth forms were then replanted using one of two biodegradable materials, coconut fibre pots or bamboo stakes, to secure them to the seafloor. Establishment of plagiotropic fragments were increased by bamboo anchorage (x̅ = 89% SE ± 0%) compared to orthotropic storm fragments (x̅ = 66.5% SE ± 6.5%). By contrast a coconut fibre method resulted in greater establishment of orthotropic fragments (x̅ = 79% SE ± 7%) compared to plagiotropic (x̅ = 51% SE ± 11%). Fragments showed some blade growth, but little shoot growth after 15 months. The fragment shoot and blade growth did not differ between the plagiotropic or orthotropic fragments replanted by bamboo stakes or coconut fibre pot. Our results suggest that the use of storm fragments and biodegradable anchoring materials constitutes a viable, non-destructive replanting technique in seagrass restoration. Furthermore success can be increased by selecting a growth-form appropriate planting method

Scientific, societal and pedagogical approaches to tackle the impact of climate change on marine pollution

Marine pollution impacts coastal nations around the world, and more so: (a) in confined maritime areas with significant marine traffic, (b) where exploitation of natural and mineral resources is taking place, or (c) in regions witnessing pressure from tourism, local population growth, and industry. In this work, Digital Elevation Models, hydrographic, and climatic data are used together with computer simulations to understand the control of climate change on marine pollution. The results show that different climate change signals can potentially alter the flow and concentration of pollution in the European Seas, when compared to the present day. Ultimately, this work identifies the main sources of marine pollution as: (1) rivers and streams near cities and industrialised areas, (2) coastal areas experiencing sudden demographic pressures, (3) offshore shipping lanes in which oil and other marine debris are released, and (4) areas of rugged seafloor where industrial fishing takes place. This paper finishes by describing new educational material prepared to teach school children around the world. It explains why how a new training curriculum and e-game developed by Sea4All can be crucial in future Environmental Education and Education for a Sustainable Development

Is All Seagrass Habitat Equal? Seasonal, Spatial, and Interspecific Variation in Productivity Dynamics Within Mediterranean Seagrass Habitat

Seagrass meadows’ ability to capture carbon through sequestering autochthonous carbon via photosynthesis means they could represent a potential nature-based solution to rising carbon emissions. In multispecies seagrass communities, and due to species introduction or predicted range shifts, it is important to know which species deliver different carbon sequestration gains to inform conservation actions. Large benthic chamber experiments (volume = 262L) assessed the seasonal and spatial variation in metabolism dynamics of the endemic and dominant Mediterranean seagrass, P. oceanica whilst small benthic chamber experiments (volume = 7L) compared the dynamics between, P. oceanica the native C. nodosa and non-native H. stipulacea. Within shallow P. oceanica edge habitat lower Net Apparent Productivity (NAP) occurs in autumn ((Formula presented.) = 1.3, SD ± 2.95 O2 mmol m-2 d-1) compared to summer ((Formula presented.) = 9.9, SD ± 2.75 O2 mmol m-2 d-1 corresponding with periods of light limiting and light saturating conditions, but it remains overall autotrophic annually (2.3 C mol m-2 yr-1). However, spatial heterogeneity exists, the center areas of P. oceanica were more productive (NAP (Formula presented.) =19.7, SD± 3.83 O2 mmol m-2 d-1) compared to edge habitat with spatial changes in productivity relating to plant surface area (96%), shoot density (81%), blade length (72%) and seagrass percentage cover (64%). Under comparative conditions in a sparse multispecies area of the meadow the species demonstrated different capacities for carbon fixation. H. stipulacea was carbon positive and P. oceanica fluctuated between positive and negative carbon balance suggesting both can maintain a balance between carbon fixation and carbon utilised for metabolic activity. In contrast the C. nodosa here would be expected to deteriorate as it was utilising carbon more than it was fixing (NAPN2 ((Formula presented.) = -0.0012, SD ± 0.0007 O2 mmol cm-2 d-1). This study demonstrates that not all seagrass habitat is equal. If seagrass meadows are to play a part in mitigating CO2 emissions, variability in primary productivity within seagrass meadows needs to be accounted for to produce accurate total fixed carbon estimates, and subsequently autochthonous carbon sequestration estimates. This means seagrass meadow species composition and the condition of these meadows must be better understood

Bacterial Community Legacy Effects Following the Agia Zoni II Oil-Spill, Greece

In September 2017 the Agia Zoni II sank in the Saronic Gulf, Greece, releasing approximately 500 tonnes of heavy fuel oil, contaminating the Salamina and Athens coastlines. Effects of the spill, and remediation efforts, on sediment microbial communities were quantified over the following 7 months. Five days post-spill, the concentration of measured hydrocarbons within surface sediments of contaminated beaches was 1,093–3,773 μg g–1 dry sediment (91% alkanes and 9% polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), but measured hydrocarbons decreased rapidly after extensive clean-up operations. Bacterial genera known to contain oil-degrading species increased in abundance, including Alcanivorax, Cycloclasticus, Oleibacter, Oleiphilus, and Thalassolituus, and the species Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus from approximately 0.02 to >32% (collectively) of the total bacterial community. Abundance of genera with known hydrocarbon-degraders then decreased 1 month after clean-up. However, a legacy effect was observed within the bacterial community, whereby Alcanivorax and Cycloclasticus persisted for several months after the oil spill in formerly contaminated sites. This study is the first to evaluate the effect of the Agia Zoni II oil-spill on microbial communities in an oligotrophic sea, where in situ oil-spill studies are rare. The results aid the advancement of post-spill monitoring models, which can predict the capability of environments to naturally attenuate oil

Pinna nobilis in the Greek seas (NE Mediterranean): on the brink of extinction?

The Mediterranean endemic fan mussel Pinna nobilis is suffering an ongoing basin-scale mass mortality event (MME) since 2016. As most Mediterranean populations have collapsed, the species has been declared as Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List of threatened species. In an effort to track the progress of the MME and provide updated information on the status of the species in the Greek seas, data collected through dedicated surveys and opportunistic assessments during 2019 and 2020 have been compiled. During surveys conducted at 258 sites, a total of 14,589 fan mussels were recorded, of which 81.1% were dead. Of the remaining 2,762 live individuals, 256 were juveniles. Two marine areas that still sustain living populations were identified, namely Kalloni Gulf (Lesvos Island), and Laganas Bay (Zakynthos Island). The inner part of Kalloni Gulf appears to maintain the largest surviving population of the species in the eastern Mediterranean, with an abundance estimate of 684,000 individuals (95% confidence interval: 322,000-1,453,000). Solitary, potentially resistant, scattered individuals were recorded at several sites. Other previously abundant populations that had been assessed in the past, specifically those of Lake Vouliagmeni (Korinthiakos Gulf), Souda Bay (Crete) and Gera Gulf (Lesvos Island) with a total of ~350,000 individuals, have now been wiped out. Our results document the collapse of most P. nobilis populations throughout the Greek seas. The MME has progressed substantially between early 2019 and mid-2020, as indicated by the increase in mortality at sites consecutively monitored multiple times. This work highlights the urgent need for continuous monitoring of surviving populations and calls for immediate implementation of an effective protection and management strategy that will ensure the persistence of surviving individuals and the production of resistant offspring

New Alien Mediterranean Biodiversity Records (October 2020)

This article includes 23 new records of alien and cryptogenic species in the Mediterranean Sea, belonging to 4 Phyla (Chordata, Echinodermata, Arthropoda and Mollusca), distributed from the Alboran to the Levantine Sea. Records are reported from eight countries listed from West to East as follows: Algeria: new records of the Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus; Spain: further spread and establishment of the sea slug Lamprohaminoea ovalis in continental shores; Tunisia: first record of the Atlantic Blue Crab Callinectes sapidus in the Gulf of Gabes; Italy: a new occurrence of the pufferfish Lagocephalus sceleratus in Northern Ionian waters; first record of Cephalopholis taeniops in the Ionian Sea; first record of the redlip blenny, Ophioblennius atlanticus in the Ionian Sea; Slovenia: first record of the isopod Paranthura japonica in Slovenia; Greece: first record of the molluscs Eunaticina papilla, Plocamopherus ocellatus and the fish Cheilodipterus novemstriatus; first record of the ascidian Ecteinascidia turbinata in Kriti; the long-spined sea urchin Diadema setosum in the Ionian Sea; Turkey: first record of the sea spider Ammothea hilgendorfi; the stomatopod Cloridina cf. ichneumon; the fishes Pempheris rhomboidea from the Sea of Marmara and Paranthias furcifer from the Aegean Sea; Lebanon: new records of the fishes Arothron hispidus, Rachycentron canadum, Heniochus intermedius and Acanthurus monroviae; first record of Acanthostracion polygonius. The records of Cloridina cf. ichneumon from southern Turkey and the fish Acanthostracion polygonius from Lebanon, both being the first Mediterranean records, are noteworthy

ClimateFish: A Collaborative Database to Track the Abundance of Selected Coastal Fish Species as Candidate Indicators of Climate Change in the Mediterranean Sea

Under the effects of global warming, many animals and plants are undergoing rapid distribution shifts. These changes can be particularly rapid in marine fishes, and many species have responded markedly to recent increases in sea temperature. ClimateFish is an open-access database, which collates abundance data for 7 Mediterranean indigenous and 8 non-indigenous fishes, proposed as candidate indicators of climate change. These species have been selected by a network of Mediterranean scientists based on their wide distribution, responsiveness to temperature conditions and easy identification. Data are periodically collected according to a standard visual census protocol in four different depth layers. At present, the database collates data on a total number of 101'771 observed individuals belonging to the 15 target species. Counts were realized along 3142 transects carried out in 7 Mediterranean countries between 2009 and 2021. This database, associated with climate data, offers new opportunities to investigate spatiotemporal effects of climate change and to test the effectiveness of each selected indicator. Data are available at https://doi.org/10.17882/86784.The Mediterranean ClimateFish initiative was initially conceived by the international basin wide monitoring program CIESM Tropical Signals (funded by the Albert II of Monaco Foundation) and subsequently supported by the Interreg Med Programme (Projects: MPA-ADAPT, grant number 1MED15_3.2_M2_337 and MPA Engage, grant number 5MED18_3.2_M23_007), 85% co funded by the European Regional Development Fund

A deep learning approach to photo–identification demonstrates high performance on two dozen cetacean species

We thank the countless individuals who collected and/or processed the nearly 85,000 images used in this study and those who assisted, particularly those who sorted these images from the millions that did not end up in the catalogues. Additionally, we thank the other Kaggle competitors who helped develop the ideas, models and data used here, particularly those who released their datasets to the public. The graduate assistantship for Philip T. Patton was funded by the NOAA Fisheries QUEST Fellowship. This paper represents HIMB and SOEST contribution numbers 1932 and 11679, respectively. The technical support and advanced computing resources from University of Hawaii Information Technology Services—Cyberinfrastructure, funded in part by the National Science Foundation CC* awards # 2201428 and # 2232862 are gratefully acknowledged. Every photo–identification image was collected under permits according to relevant national guidelines, regulation and legislation.Peer reviewedPublisher PD