Depth distribution of Cidaris cidaris (Linnaeus, 1758) and Stylocdaris affinis (Philippi, 1845) (Echinodermata, Echinoidea) around the Maltese Islands

The sea urchins Stylocidaris affinis and Cidaris cidaris (family Cidaridae) are abundant on circalittoral and deeper bottoms off the Maltese Islands. Different authors quote different depth ranges for the two species. The depth distribution in Maltese waters was studied based on material from MEDITS surveys. S. affinis was found at depths of 50-550m with the highest relative abundance between 50m and 150m, predominantly on maerl or coarse sedimentary substrata. C. cidaris was found from ca. 50m to depths greater than 550m, mostly on sandy-mud.peer-reviewe

Maximising MEDITS: using data collected from trawl surveys to characterise the benthic and demersal assemblages of the circalittoral and deeper waters around the Maltese Islands

Data from MEDITS trawl surveys in the waters surrounding the Maltese Islands were analysed to characterise the benthic and demersal assemblages of the central Mediterranean, which are only poorly known, hampering Maltese authorities in meeting legislative obligations. A total of 147 benthic species and 98 demersal species were identified. These formed four well-defined assemblages, whose structure and composition were related to depth. Total species richness and abundance of both demersal and benthic species decreased with depth. The most abundant structuring epibenthic species which characterised the identified assemblages were the tall sea pen Funicularia quadrangularis (present at depths of ca. 50–700 m), the red sea pen Pennatula rubra (ca. 100–450 m), the hydroids Lytocarpia myriophyllum (ca. 100–250 m) and Nemertesia sp. (ca. 100–600), the soft coral Alcyonium palmatum (ca. 100–400 m), and the anemone Actinauge richardi (ca. 100–600 m). These results illustrate how, in the absence of dedicated benthic mapping studies, MEDITS data can be used to provide preliminary information that would not otherwise be available.peer-reviewe

Evaluating the efficacy of different manures in the cultivation of aubergine and green pepper – a case study of the Maltese Islands

The Maltese agricultural sector faces many challenges including lack of organic matter in its soils. The use of organic fertilizers such as cattle or rabbit manure partly addresses this problem. Different doses of manure of rabbit and cattle manure at specific irrigation regimes were used to assess the growth of crops and production of fruit on aubergine and green pepper plants. The overall mean number of green peppers recorded was significantly different than the mean number of aubergine for all four doses of manure applied, using both rabbit and cattle manure, up to an optimum mean number of fruit produced, the optimum being reached at dose 3 for green peppers and dose 4 for aubergines. Additionally, the mean number of fruit was significantly higher when grown in rabbit than in cattle manure. The mean weight of fruit recorded varied significantly between green peppers and aubergines at the highest dose of rabbit manure. When Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) was investigated, the highest nutrient efficiencies were achieved at the higher fertilizer application rates of rabbit manure while for aubergines, the weight increase was not as significant and it may therefore be possible to compromise yield for a better efficiency.peer-reviewe

Occurrence and Biogeography of Mediterranean Cold-Water Corals

The term cold-water coral sensu lato groups taxa with a more or less pronounced frame-building ability (e.g. Lophelia pertusa and Madrepora oculata) with forestforming organisms both on hard (e.g. Leiopathes glaberrima, Parantipathes larix, Callogorgia verticillata and Viminella flagellum) and soft bottoms (e.g. Isidella elongata, Funiculina quadrangularis and Kophobelemnon stelliferum). Cold-water coral species and their occurrence in the Mediterranean Sea are here reviewed and discussed from a biogeographic point of view, considering geographical areas of occurrence and bathymetric distribution. The present-day occurrence of living cold-water corals is then compared to the main deep currents of the Mediterranean Sea. Due to the proper interaction between topography and a combination of cold, oxygenated and trophic-carrying water masses (i.e. Levantine Intermediate Water, deep waters and cascading effects), cold-water coral communities develop in a mosaic-like situation along the main paths that such water masses follow within the basin. Finally, knowledge gaps and future perspectives in the study of cold-water coral occurrence, distribution and biogeography are highlighted. The currently still scarce knowledge on the Mediterranean deep-sea and on the basin-scale distribution of the most important coldwater corals species represents crucial biogeographical information. This gives fundamental indications on the location of the Mediterranean vulnerable deep marine ecosystems for future management strategies

CoCoNet: Towards coast to coast networks of marine protected areas (From the shore to the high and deep sea), coupled with sea-based wind energy potential

This volume contains the main results of the EC FP7 "The Ocean of Tomorrow" Project CoCoNet, divided in two sections: 1) a set of guidelines to design networks of Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean and the Black Seas; 2) a smart wind chart that will allow evaluating the possibility of installing Offshore Wind Farms in both seas. The concept of Cells of Ecosystem Functioning, based on connectivity, is introduced to define natural units of management and conservation. The definition of Good Environmental Status, as defined in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, is fully embraced to set the objectives of the project, by adopting a holistic approach that integrates a full set of disciplines, ranging from physics to bio-ecology, economics, engineering and many sub-disciplines. The CoCoNet Consortium involved scientist sfrom 22 states, based in Africa, Asia, and Europe, contributing to build a coherent scientific community

CoCoNet: towards coast to coast networks of marine protected areas (from the shore to the high and deep sea), coupled with sea-based wind energy potential

This volume contains the main results of the EC FP7 “The Ocean of Tomorrow” Project CoCoNet, divided in two sections: 1) a set of guidelines to design networks of Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean and the Black Seas; 2) a smart wind chart that will allow evaluating the possibility of installing Offshore Wind Farms in both seas. The concept of Cells of Ecosystem Functioning, based on connectivity, is introduced to define natural units of management and conservation. The definition of Good Environmental Status, as defined in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, is fully embraced to set the objectives of the project, by adopting a holistic approach that integrates a full set of disciplines, ranging from physics to bio-ecology, economics, engineering and many sub-disciplines. The CoCoNet Consortium involved scientist sfrom 22 states, based in Africa, Asia, and Europe, contributing to build a coherent scientific community

Editorial. A supplement of Scires-it on the COCONET european project

The Supplement to vol. 6, 2016 of SCIRES-IT contains the result of CoCoNet (Towards COast to COast NETworks of marine protected areas, coupled with sea-based wind energy potential), a project of the EU Oceans of Tomorrow programme (http://www.coconet-fp7.eu). The European Union requires Open Access to the results of the projects resulting from its support to scientific advancement. This is in full accordance with the policy of SCIRES-IT, an eco-sustainable open–access journal, which joins the main principles of the Berlin Declaration on Open Access with the aims of the International Convention on Biological Diversity. CoCoNet tackled two problems that are closely linked with each other: the protection of the marine environment and clean energy production. Hence, the Supplement is divided into two parts that, together, form a unicum

CoCoNet: Towards coast to coast networks of marine protected areas (From the shore to the high and deep sea), coupled with sea-based wind energy potential

This volume contains the main results of the EC FP7 "The Ocean of Tomorrow" Project CoCoNet, divided in two sections: 1) a set of guidelines to design networks of Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean and the Black Seas; 2) a smart wind chart that will allow evaluating the possibility of installing Offshore Wind Farms in both seas. The concept of Cells of Ecosystem Functioning, based on connectivity, is introduced to define natural units of management and conservation. The definition of Good Environmental Status, as defined in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, is fully embraced to set the objectives of the project, by adopting a holistic approach that integrates a full set of disciplines, ranging from physics to bio-ecology, economics, engineering and many sub-disciplines. The CoCoNet Consortium involved scientist sfrom 22 states, based in Africa, Asia, and Europe, contributing to build a coherent scientific community